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 his family and farming. He writes that the hay will not be ready to cut before the end of next month and the wheat and oats will not be ready until November. 'Every thing, in this Country is out at least a month later than usual'. His sheep and cows are half starved and reports that 'farmers on the sheep farms, have lost almost all their lambs from the severity of the Weather'. What is of more important to them there has also been a 'great mortality amongst the old Sheep'. Napier rents to a number of sheep farmers and expects that they will find it difficult to pay him.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Napier also writes about the death of a relative and how her property is to be divided. He writes that he never knew that Lord Monboddo [James Burnett (c.1714-1799), Judge and Philosopher] had asked Mrs Garrick to marry him and notes that 'it was time for him to die, as her was quite superannuated'. He continues the letter on the subject of Lord Selkirk and his family.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at Wilton Lodge [Roxburghshire].</p>