The Mary Hamilton Papers : Letter from Francis Napier, 8th Lord Napier, to Mary Hamilton

Napier, Francis Scott, 8th Lord

The Mary Hamilton Papers

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Letter from Francis Napier, 8th Lord Napier, to Mary Hamilton, relating to an election, general family news and John Farhill (<a target='_blank' class='externalLink uom-purple' href='https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/manchesteruniversity/data/gb133-ham/ham/1/7/4'>HAM/1/7/4</a>). Napier remembers Farhill and his family. His brother is called Jack and is about his own age and at the time Napier and Jack Farhill were so much alike that they were often mistaken for each other. Napier notes that he was a great favourite of his, and his sister Miss Farhill was a great favourite of his uncle, Frank Napier, who died a few weeks ago. He writes that Frank Napier 'would have married her, but she was saucy'. He asks Hamilton if she can provide him with news on his old friend.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Napier intends to go to Scotland for the Election. He has not yet received any ministerial mandate 'so he suppose[s that] no opposition is expected at the Peer's Election' [16 representatives from Scotland are voted to the House of Lords] and if there is then he will be a 'patriot' and he may even offer himself 'as a candidate'. He writes that joking apart of there is to be a vote then the 'D of Queensberry, M of Lothian, Earls of Aberdeen, Galloway & Roseberry must not expect' his vote.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The letter continues on Lady Cathcart and describes a 40 mile trip performed by a pair of fat horses who 'have not travelled more than 5 miles at a time for 13 years'. He describes the journey and writes of other family news.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at Welwyn, [Hertfordshire].</p>