The Mary Hamilton Papers : Letter from Lady Catherine Herries (née Foote) to Mary Hamilton

Herries (née Foote), Catherine

The Mary Hamilton Papers

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Letter from Lady Catherine Herries to Mary Hamilton. She writes from Bath where she has been for several weeks for her health. The letter is concerned with Herries's health, water treatments and the Chevalier Palombi.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Herries has been taking the waters and bathing 'in the tepid Bath as regularly as has been possible' and believes the waters have been beneficial to her health. She is still surprised that her limbs are still weak and that she finds it difficult to walk but the doctors assure her 'that there is not a doubt that nature will set herself to rights'. Herries continues her letter on Hamilton's own health and that of Hamilton's husband, John Dickenson who is seemingly suffering from a condition brought on by his own 'impudence' for which Herries joins Hamilton in 'scolding' him. Herries hopes that the Buxton Baths will be beneficial to him and that he will return home to Hamilton 'stout & bonny. Herries has been advised by a Miss Roberts, an acquaintance she met in Bath, that if her limbs do not improve then she should try the waters at Buxton 'having found them so effective herself'. Herries continues to write on her health, treatments and the doctor in whose care she plans to come under.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Herries writes that she had the 'pleasure of seeing Chev. Palombi' in town [Palombi marries John Dickenson's sister, Elizabeth see <a target='_blank' class='externalLink uom-purple' href='https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/manchesteruniversity/data/gb133-ham/ham/1/3/2'>HAM/1/3/2</a>] she saw him in 'mixed company' and notes how difficult it is to get an idea of a person's character 'particularly when a person is naturally rather silent & modestly bestowed but he appeared to me a worthy well bred man & by what you say both natural & acquired taste & knowledge'.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The letter continues with news of friends and family and on the death of Hamilton's cousin, the Duchess of Atholl [Jane Murray née Cathcart (1754-1791), married John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl]. Herries notes that the Duchess was about the same age as her.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at Bath.</p>