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 expresses her pleasure at receiving Hamilton's assurance that she had not taken offence at Herries (see HAM/1/17/242). Herries has not heard anything further of Miss Bowdler but does not expect to until she arrives at Lady Templeton's. She will let Hamilton know if Miss Bowdler intends to stay in London. She refers to the 'disagreeable subject' [the fallout between Miss Bowdler and Sir Robert (see HAM/1/17/242) and notes that it would be better if nothing was said on the subject. It is not inconceivable that Miss Bowdler will bring up the subject though, and Herries would be sorry if Hamilton 'appeared totally ignorant of it', as Miss Bowdler knows how close Hamilton is to her and she would be surprised at Hamilton not knowing anything about the subject. Herries thinks that Miss Bowdler would think it 'impossible' that Herries had said nothing because Herries 'blamed her conduct [Miss Bowdler's] in the matter' and she is afraid that she will be 'hurt'. If the subject is brought up, Herries asks Hamilton to 'say in general that I [Herries] had always said her conduct in the matter had been truly noble', and that she regrets that Sir Robert 'should have so misapprehended it'. The letter continues on the breach between Sir Robert and her friend.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Herries ends her letter thanking Hamilton for the extracts from Miss Dickenson's and Mrs Palombi's letters. She is sorry to hear of the 'sufferings of the latter'. She continues on this suggesting that she had been the cause of her sufferings herself. That makes her 'more an object of pity -- One sees however how much she inclines to the French side of the question in the business'. Herries writes of Hamilton's friends and of including a letter for her to pass on to Mrs [Elizabeth] Carter.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at Cheltenham.</p>