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 Hannah More and general family news.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Lady Herries begins the letter writing of her wonder at the reason for Hamilton's 'long silence', which is causing her some concern, and asks for a line from her to put her at ease. She writes of having spent three weeks in Malvern Wells before returning to Cheltenham, where she and Sir Robert Herries have taken a 'small but very comfortable & pretty house'. She continues on the two Miss Nicollses that she had met in Malvern (see HAM/1/17/236) and of their high regard for Hamilton. Herries has nothing to report with regard to her health. She has suffered more 'attacks & one very severe one'. She continues briefly on the society in Cheltenham and with general news of her family. Some relations of Mrs Edward Foote [Nina] are here, as is Herries's sister-in-law, Miss G[race] Herries (see HAM/1/17/235). Mrs Edward Foote's children have been very ill but are now recovering and Sir Robert Herries is 'tolerably well'.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The letter ends with news of Hannah More. Herries reports that she has heard that Hannah More is to write a book on 'ye manners of Ladies of fashion -- a work she [Moore] says that will shut her out of any elegant House in ye Kingdom'. To Herries, More is a 'noble Creature'. In her mind she has the 'Character of St. Paul'. More had been ill but her health is now improving.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at Cheltenham.</p>