The Mary Hamilton Papers : Letter from William Napier, 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, with general news of friends and acquaintances. He notes that he has been writing since 10 o'clock on business and that it is now 2 o'clock in the morning and he is writing to her to show Hamilton that his ‘greatest happiness and pleasure is to obey you in everything in my power’. He asks Hamilton to consider what she says when she notes that she has little time to spare as she writes her mother's letters for her. Napier writes that he has to write most days and nights on regimental and family business and is seldom in bed at this hour. He hopes she finds time to write to her Uncle Cathcart, and if she does not then as ‘my daughter & ward, I order you to do it’. He knows that she is too thoughtful to disobey him but he also knows that she has more ‘command’ over him than he has over her.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>On a question of family news that Hamilton has asked, Napier replies that he has heard nothing of Miss Cathcart [Hamilton's cousin Jane Cathcart] being a Maid of Honour and does not believe it, although if he hears anything he will let her know.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at Canterbury.</p>