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. The letter primarily relates to Napier's son William [later 9th Lord Napier] and the school he has started at. Napier describes the school in detail. It is run by a clergyman, has only ten pupils and is based in Ovington, Northumberland. He crossed over Carter Fell on his way home and teases Hamilton that although she is a member of the ‘Blue Stocking Society’ he may still need to explain further what a feat that was, as he cannot assume she will know all the geography of the land.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Napier is to return reluctantly to his troops in Liverpool in March. His regiment has many attractions, but he prefers his home ‘to the Dignity of the Parade’. He looks forward to seeing the Lancashire Fencibles [a volunteer militia], who ‘as the Descendants of Witches [an allusion to the Pendle Witches] must be superior to anything we have among us, your Witches being called Beauties, but I do not recollect that Macbeth's acquaintances were said to possess any personal charms’.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at Wilton Lodge [Roxburghshire].</p>