Diplomatic Text
Dear Miʃs Hamilton;
The hurry I have been in for some time past in moving
my Family to Town, has prevented my thanking you
for your last of the 8th. Inst. much longer than I cou'd
have wish'd. I have by good fortune got a most elegant
and complete house in every respect in the best street
in Dublin, and quite convenient to the outlet leading
to my Villa, from whence I am every morning supplied
with the produce of my little Farm & Garden in much
greater perfection than I cou'd get the same things from
the market. I am sincerely happy in the account you
give me of your encreasing good fortune, and am per=
suaded that the same prudence that guided you in
your former situation, will point out the proper line
line of conduct in your present more arduous one.
Your understanding with the experience you have had
is perfectly sufficient to direct you in almost any case
that can offer; nothing can hurt you but flattery
which I know you have always held in abhorrence; its
object is fatally bent to undermine the judgement by
instilling into the unguarded mind an arrogant self=
approbation instead of a noble simplicity of conduct
which will guide you safely, being the qualification of
all others the most proper for your situation. Make no
apologies to me, I beg, for not answering my letters with
precise punctuality, I know how much you time is engaged,
besides the very idea of your thinking yourself in default
might prevent that frankneʃs which renders your cor=
respondence so interesting and agreeable.
I received a letter some time ago from Lady Stormont
acquainting me with the application she had made
in my favor; I must say it was a very feeble effort and
that it merited no other answer from Ld. Carlisle than
what it produced. It was from the K——g alone that I
entertain'd any hopes, and I find that Ld. Stormont has
changed his sentiments with regard to my Memorial and
the probability of its having effect, for when I shew'd
it to him, he said it was very proper and even proposed
an amendment to it himself, which I agreed to & said at
last, perhaps Miʃs H. can put you into a method of getting
it presented; but you will do me the justice to recollect
my sentiments with regard to your interference, which
are still invariably the same; I wish'd to be considerd
by you as a safe and disinterested friend, that idea
must for ever have been loʃs'd by my wanting to put you
into an improper and dangerous situation. The case
is quite different with Ld. Stormont, who at present is
very sorry that Ecclesiastical Preferments are not in his
department, which is as much as if he said he never
will serve me, as I do not mean to ask for any civil em=
ployment. Do not suppose My Dear Miʃs Hamilton that
I am disappointed or made unhappy by these answers.
I have made the experiment of the estimation I stand
in with my Friends, it was indeed with reluctance &
totally against my own judgement, however by having
done it, I have acquitted myself and cannot hereafter
be reproach'd with having fail'd through my own indo=
lence. I believe I cou'd have born a little more prosperity
with an equal mind; but at the same I have never suffer'd
anxious expectations to make me unmindful of the great
bleʃsings I am daily enjoying. I have now very nearly at=
tain'd the age of 52; is not that rather too late a period
to think of creating a new interest? With what I have at
present I believe you will readily agree with me, little
can be expected; and to suppose that I shall never obtain
anything upon my own account woud be doating, which
I hope to put off for some little time longer. Mrs. Hamilton
desires to be affectionately rememberd to you. Mrs. Stratford
is in Town, the turmoils between her & her untoward
Husband give us much uneasineʃs God knows what
may be the end of them! Adieu, My Dear Miʃs Hamilton
believe me ever with the sincerest Affection
Your faithful Friend & Uncle.
Frederick Hamilton
Sackville Street, Dublin
November 27th. 1780[1]
red text is normalised and/or unformatted in other panel)
Normalised Text
Dear Miss Hamilton;
The hurry I have been in for some time past in moving
my Family to Town, has prevented my thanking you
for your last of the 8th. instant much longer than I could
have wished. I have by good fortune got a most elegant
and complete house in every respect in the best street
in Dublin, and quite convenient to the outlet leading
to my Villa, from whence I am every morning supplied
with the produce of my little Farm & Garden in much
greater perfection than I could get the same things from
the market. I am sincerely happy in the account you
give me of your increasing good fortune, and am persuaded
that the same prudence that guided you in
your former situation, will point out the proper line
of conduct in your present more arduous one.
Your understanding with the experience you have had
is perfectly sufficient to direct you in almost any case
that can offer; nothing can hurt you but flattery
which I know you have always held in abhorrence; its
object is fatally bent to undermine the judgement by
instilling into the unguarded mind an arrogant self-approbation
instead of a noble simplicity of conduct
which will guide you safely, being the qualification of
all others the most proper for your situation. Make no
apologies to me, I beg, for not answering my letters with
precise punctuality, I know how much your time is engaged,
besides the very idea of your thinking yourself in default
might prevent that frankness which renders your correspondence
so interesting and agreeable.
I received a letter some time ago from Lady Stormont
acquainting me with the application she had made
in my favour; I must say it was a very feeble effort and
that it merited no other answer from Lord Carlisle than
what it produced. It was from the King alone that I
entertained any hopes, and I find that Lord Stormont has
changed his sentiments with regard to my Memorial and
the probability of its having effect, for when I showed
it to him, he said it was very proper and even proposed
an amendment to it himself, which I agreed to & said at
last, perhaps Miss Hamilton can put you into a method of getting
it presented; but you will do me the justice to recollect
my sentiments with regard to your interference, which
are still invariably the same; I wished to be considered
by you as a safe and disinterested friend, that idea
must for ever have been lossed by my wanting to put you
into an improper and dangerous situation. The case
is quite different with Lord Stormont, who at present is
very sorry that Ecclesiastical Preferments are not in his
department, which is as much as if he said he never
will serve me, as I do not mean to ask for any civil employment
. Do not suppose My Dear Miss Hamilton that
I am disappointed or made unhappy by these answers.
I have made the experiment of the estimation I stand
in with my Friends, it was indeed with reluctance &
totally against my own judgement, however by having
done it, I have acquitted myself and cannot hereafter
be reproached with having failed through my own indolence
. I believe I could have born a little more prosperity
with an equal mind; but at the same I have never suffered
anxious expectations to make me unmindful of the great
blessings I am daily enjoying. I have now very nearly attained
the age of 52; is not that rather too late a period
to think of creating a new interest? With what I have at
present I believe you will readily agree with me, little
can be expected; and to suppose that I shall never obtain
anything upon my own account would be doting, which
I hope to put off for some little time longer. Mrs. Hamilton
desires to be affectionately remembered to you. Mrs. Stratford
is in Town, the turmoils between her & her untoward
Husband give us much uneasiness God knows what
may be the end of them! Adieu, My Dear Miss Hamilton
believe me ever with the sincerest Affection
Your faithful Friend & Uncle.
Frederick Hamilton
Sackville Street, Dublin
November 27th. 1780
quotations, spellings, uncorrected forms, split words, abbreviations, formatting)
Notes
Metadata
Library References
Repository: John Rylands Research Institute and Library, University of Manchester
Archive: Mary Hamilton Papers
Item title: Letter from Frederick Hamilton to Mary Hamilton
Shelfmark: HAM/1/4/1/17
Correspondence Details
Sender: Frederick Hamilton
Place sent: Dublin
Addressee: Mary Hamilton
Place received: unknown
Date sent: 27 November 1780
Letter Description
Summary: Letter from Rev. Frederick Hamilton to Mary Hamilton. The letter predominantly relates to Frederick Hamilton's attempts to gain advancement in the church. He informs his niece that he has received a letter from Lady Stormont with news of her attempt to influence Lord Carlisle on his behalf, an attempt which he describes as 'a very feeble effort' which 'merited no other answer from L[or]d Carlisle than what it produced'. His hopes for advancement came only from the King and he believes that Lord Stormont has changed his opinion with regard to his memorial (see HAM/1/4/1/16), and that he now informs him that ecclesiastical preferments are not part of his department, which Frederick Hamilton interprets as Lord Stormont refusing to help him. He is reconciled to his situation and notes that at least he cannot reproach himself that his lack of advancement is a result of indolence on his part.
The letter reports on family matters, on his house in Dublin and on his daughter, Mrs Stratford, whose marriage causes him a great deal of distress.
Dated at Sackville Street [Dublin].
Length: 1 sheet, 714 words
Transliteration Information
Editorial declaration: First edited in the project 'Image to Text' (David Denison & Nuria Yáñez-Bouza, 2013-2019), now incorporated in the project 'Unlocking the Mary Hamilton Papers' (Hannah Barker, Sophie Coulombeau, David Denison, Tino Oudesluijs, Cassandra Ulph, Christine Wallis & Nuria Yáñez-Bouza, 2019-2023).
All quotation marks are retained in the text and are represented by appropriate Unicode characters. Words split across two lines may have a hyphen on the first, the second or both fragments (reco-|ver, imperfect|-ly, satisfacti-|-on); or a double hyphen (pur=|port, dan|=ger, qua=|=litys); or none (respect|ing). Any point in abbreviations with superscripted letter(s) is placed last, regardless of relative left-right orientation in the original. Thus, Mrs. or Mrs may occur, but M.rs or Mr.s do not.
Acknowledgements: XML version: Research Assistant funding in 2013/14 provided by G.L. Brook bequest, University of Manchester.
Research assistant: George Bailey, undergraduate student, University of Manchester
Transliterator: Madeleine Back, undergraduate student, University of Manchester (submitted December 2013)
Transliterator: Alice McMahon, undergraduate student, University of Manchester (submitted December 2013)
Cataloguer: Lisa Crawley, Archivist, The John Rylands Library
Cataloguer: John Hodgson, Head of Special Collections, John Rylands Research Institute and Library
Copyright: Transcriptions, notes and TEI/XML © the editors
Revision date: 2 November 2021