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 the birth of Napier's niece and on marriage. Napier assures Hamilton that she has not offended him and that the cause for his delay in writing to her is 'laziness'. For the last three weeks his sister, Mrs [Mainie-Schaw] Hunter has been expecting to give birth and this has given Napier a good excuse for his delaying responding to letters and the 'moment that event happened' he wrote Hamilton an account of it. His sister is very well and her new daughter, Charlotte, improves daily. Napier writes that he has 'already given her a flattering proof of my affection having condescended to kiss her forehead, a civility I never performed to a child of her age, being unfortunately possessed of a violent antipathy towards all new Born Infants'. He was introduced to his new niece on the day of her birth and an 'unaccountable involuntary motion' caused him to kiss her.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Napier also writes that he may do a 'foolish thing' and that is propose to Miss Chalmers, who has not got a sixpence, and asks Hamilton for her consent. He notes that if she does, then this will be more than any of his other friends would do. When he last wrote to Hamilton, Napier had noted that he had decided that he would not marry someone without a fortune. Now a 'pair of beautiful Blue eyes, charming complexion, white teeth and a simple Elegance of dress, have overset all my resolutions'.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at Edinburgh.</p>