The Mary Hamilton Papers : Letter from William Napier (later 7th Lord Napier) to Mary Hamilton

Napier, William, 7th Lord

The Mary Hamilton Papers

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Letter from William Napier [later 7th Lord Napier] to Mary Hamilton, relating to Hamilton's writing to him in Latin and Greek. Napier writes 'For God sake My dearest Girl write me no Latin Epistle, much less a Greek one'. He continues: 'the very sight of either now would certainly kill me, even a quotation of either gives my Nerves such a tremor that makes me uncapable to move for a week'. He gives her leave to write as much as she wishes in English, a language he views as much more useful for their correspondence. Indeed, he notes that to answer as well as to read another language is much more trouble that he 'is capable of'. He continues further on the subject. He also writes that he has not yet seen Miss [Elizabeth] Carter as he has not been to Deal, where she lives with her father. Her brother has informed him that she is well.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Napier also asks Hamilton who the 'happy man' was that she danced with until 5 o'clock in the morning. As she was not tired after this, Napier assumes that he must have been 'very agreeable indeed'. Napier declares that he would have been jealous were it not for the letter he received from her that same day. He reminds Hamilton to remember her engagement to go to Buxton in the spring and writes that he will not let Mrs Hamilton off on any account.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at Canterbury.</p>