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, relating to the purchase of fanbone needles for Hamilton, Louisa Dickenson and news from Paris.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Lady Herries writes that she is unsure as to whether or not she will send this letter to Hamilton straight away for two reasons, the first of which is that she is trying to get a frank to put the 'fanbone needles in [...] [Herries had done her] best to chuse properly, 6 of different sizes -- so [...] [she hopes] they will be right'. Herries is also considering delaying the letter as she wishes to inform Hamilton of her plans when they are more definite. The letter continues on Herries's regard for Hamilton and the pleasure it gave her reading Hamilton's 'expression of your love & regard contained in your letter', which was 'so sweetly proved' to Herries when she visited Hamilton -- 'such friendship as yours is indeed a balm to a thousand sorrows'.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The letter continues on Louisa Dickenson, Hamilton's daughter. Mr Falls is 'flattered' by her message and says that if he is 'within one hundred miles of Leighton [Hamilton's house] he will attend his Little Flame's birthday'.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Herries continues her letter noting that it is now past five and she still has no frank, but is tempted to send it anyway. She continues on her health but the text has been censored and cut away after this. Before the letter is censored, she writes of having 'struggled through a good deal of suffering this week'. She will write again in a few days and will hopefully be able to update her friend with her plans.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The letter moves on to the subject of news. News from Paris as can be seen in the papers is very bad. '[T]hat guilty City is again the scene of civil disruption. God knows how it will end'. The 'present effect' makes the likelihood of peace seem a great distance away.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Herries ends her letter noting that she has received a 'sweet letter from my dear Mrs Carter yesterday' [Elizabeth Carter].</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at St James's Street, [London].</p>