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, concerning news of Lady Emma Hamilton.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Lady Herries begins that it is an age since she has heard from Hamilton. She knows that Hamilton has many employments that take up her time and hopes that the lack of letters is caused by her being busy. Herries has received a letter from Miss Bowdler from Naples. Miss Bowdler sends her respects to Hamilton and writes that she has spent an evening in the company of Lady Hamilton and is 'more & more pleased with her'. She asks Herries to inform Hamilton that Lady Hamilton has told her that it has been impossible for her to write to her for some time. Herries continues that there is hardly a letter she received from Miss Bowdler in which she does not mention Lady Hamilton and that she does so with 'increased esteem'. She continues with news from Naples that Lady Hamilton is received as Sir William's wife not as a mistress (?) 'on account of not having been presented at our Court - so Sir W presents the English Ladies as formerly'.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The letter continues on Naples, Miss Bowdler, Mrs Palombi, who is ill, and with general news of Herries's own health and that of friends and acquaintances including Mrs Ord, Mr Stanley and his fiancée Miss Jones.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at St James's Street, [London].</p>