Single Letter

HAM/1/11/16

Letter from Lady Dartrey (later Lady Cremorne) to Mary Hamilton

Diplomatic Text


                             15
                                                         Stanhope St:
                                                         Friday Eveng.
                                                         4th Janry: 1782

My Dear Miʃs Hamilton


[1]

      All yesterday Evening I
expected you -- did you not promise to come to me?
I wonder what Excuse you will make -- You know
very well that Sunday & Thursday's are what I
call my Holidays, because I dedicate them to my
Children
, or such of my Acquaintance only, who
will go hand in hand with me in any little
Occupation or Amusement that we are employ'd
in -- You were expected in this light; & Thos: was to
have said over his Vieillard,[2] & Julia play'd at Lottery
with Miʃs Hamilton -- but She never came, & we
were all very much disappointed. -- after Julia was
gone to bed, I had a great mind to have sat down &



wrote you a Letter; but as I was very much out of
good humour, I thought it better to stay till today,
besides which I had a long account to send to Lady
Spencer
of a Magdalen, whom She left to my
Care -- I called upon the Woman where this poor
unfortunate Young Creature lodged, to pay her some
Money, & to give her a little advice -- but they were out,
& I was obliged to appoint them at a particular hour
a Day or two after, to pay the said Money -- when I came
in, (feeling rather aukward in accosting this once fine
Lady, now reduced to a poor humble Penitent) I said
I called upon you from Ly: S. to pay you some Money
which She left for you.. when with the Air of a Bacelli,[3]
She said “Oh! Ma'am, we were vastly mortified that we
“were out when your Lash: did us the Honor of calling,” --
just as if I went to leave my Name, & expected She
should return my Visit. -- this a little disconcerted me



but as I have always made it a rule, if poʃsible, not to be
influencedprejudiced by outward appearances, I resolved to talk
on to her, & find out whether her Sentiments correspond
=ed
with her manner -- I never was more affected than
by her Conversation, her gratitude to Ly: S. her resolutions
of amendment, & total Retirement; & in short every
thing, She said, gives me hopes She is sincere, one thing
particularly, which is, her wish for Employment, by
way of supporting herself, & paʃsing her time, which
must otherwise hang heavily -- She said indeed the
Evenings were rather dull, which indeed I could easily
believe; the Society consisting of a poor Old Woman
as deaf as a Post & a good Notable Woman, who never
had a lively Idea in her Life -- I gave her Muslin for herto
work for a Frock for Julia -- (She has already puckered me
a pair of Shoes upon Sattin,) & I desired her to begin &
read the Spectators -- when I asked the Old deaf woman
whether they ever read in an Evening; She said, why
My Lady -- the Misfortune is, we have nothing, but Godly



Books, & they, you know, don't do so well for constant reading --
I thought the Spectators would be both godly & amusing,
& therefore made a point of her beginning them directly.
I really am quite interested about her, poor Thing, & I
shall be quite happy if She continues, as good as She
now promises to be. --
      Mr: Burrows has just been here to ask me if
I knew the handwriting of the direction of a Letter he recd: lately;
he last Sunday, preached a Sermon, for the Benefit
of the Sufferers by Fire in the Parish of St.- Clements
& amongst a full Congregation he collected only between
19 & 20 pounds -- a day or two after this, he recd: a
Letter, in a very vulgar hand directed to the Rector
of St.- Clements
, London -- one would think Madm:
said Mr: Burrows, that the Lady thought, I stood
always by my Church, in the Strand on purpose to receive
my Letters -- but however this Direction found
him -- & when he opened his Letter, he foit contained,
Sir I beg the inclosed may be applied to the Use of the
Sufferers by Fire in the Strand -- Yr.- humble: Sert: A. Isleworth



& what do you think was inclosed, under this strange
Direction? a Hundred pound Bank Note. Mr: Burrows
is distreʃsed to know whowhom it comes from -- as it seems
to be a feigned name -- is not this a Curious Anecdote.
to be sure Mr: Burrows meets with the most extraordinry
occurrences, that ever befell any body; or at least
his particular manner of telling them makes
them appear so. Adieu the Bell Man is past
by -- so I shall finish this tomorrow --
      Miʃs Duckworth is just flown up to see
me for one Day; She begs her kind Complime[nts]
to you -- She is quite revived with her Mothers
return, & is grown quite fat. & in very good looks. --
      I hope you know there is a new Planet,
that has been discovered by a poor Industrious
German
, at Bath; to the great astonishment of all
the great Astronomers.[4] Mr: Davies dined last Sunday
at Greenwich, with Docr: Maskelyne, & came home full
of this News. --       Adieu for tonight --

                             Now the celi celebrated Dr: Herschel &c[5]



      I hope Her Majesty continues quite well -- I have had a
Letter from Ly.- L. Clayton, full of the Queen's gracious goodneʃs
to her. -- I wish you wanted any Artificial Flowers -- poor
Miʃs Cole makes them beautifully, & very Cheap. -- ------------
------ -- I hope you will
excuse this horrid blot. -- I have been buying my
                                                         birth day Gown.[6]



Sat: Dr: Mrs: Carter is come here to Dinner to Celebrate my birth
=Day
-- Mrs: Fieldg: Ly: Ju. Penn come in the Evening --
Mrs: Carter sends her Love to you -- pray give mine to Dr:
Ly: Charlotte Finch -- only think of her being returned to us again
so well, & so happy. -- I have only time to say how
                                                         Affly: I am yours
                                                                        PD

To
      Miʃs Hamilton
           at the Queen's Lodge
                             Windsor[7]

(hover over blue text or annotations for clarification;
red text is normalised and/or unformatted in other panel)


Notes


 1. The salutation appears to the left of the dateline.
 2. Reference to a text or author, not yet identified. French vieillard means ‘old man’.
 3. Probably a reference to Giovanna Baccelli, principal ballerina at the King's Theatre. Her portrait by Gainsborough was commissioned by her lover, John Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset, and exhibited in 1782. Baccelli bore Sackville one child, John Frederick Sackville (1778-1796). Lady Dartrey's reference therefore links this lady to a more famous ‘Magdalen’.
 4. This presumably relates to William Herschel's discovery of Uranus. Herschel first noted this as a new object in the Gemini constellation in March 1781 and it was later confirmed as a planet, the first new one to be discovered since antiquity. Herschel was appointed as Astronomer Royal as a result, and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.
 5. Hamilton's addition at the foot of the page is marked via paired crosses as relating to Lady Dartrey's ‘poor industrious German’.
 6. The birthday referred to here would probably be for that of a member of the royal family, not Lady Dartrey's own (mentioned later): Royal Birthdays were a court occasion at which courtiers would be expected to dress elaborately.
 7. Moved address here from middle of page, written vertically. The address is overwritten with a ‘6’ indicating postage paid. The envelope bears the postmark ‘5/JA’.

Normalised Text


                            
                                                         Stanhope Street
                                                         Friday Evening
                                                        

My Dear Miss Hamilton




      All yesterday Evening I
expected you -- did you not promise to come to me?
I wonder what Excuse you will make -- You know
very well that Sunday & Thursday's are what I
call my Holidays, because I dedicate them to my
Children, or such of my Acquaintance only, who
will go hand in hand with me in any little
Occupation or Amusement that we are employed
in -- You were expected in this light; & Thomas was to
have said over his Vieillard, & Julia played at Lottery
with Miss Hamilton -- but She never came, & we
were all very much disappointed. -- after Julia was
gone to bed, I had a great mind to have sat down &



written you a Letter; but as I was very much out of
good humour, I thought it better to stay till today,
besides which I had a long account to send to Lady
Spencer of a Magdalen, whom She left to my
Care -- I called upon the Woman where this poor
unfortunate Young Creature lodged, to pay her some
Money, & to give her a little advice -- but they were out,
& I was obliged to appoint them at a particular hour
a Day or two after, to pay the said Money -- when I came
in, (feeling rather awkward in accosting this once fine
Lady, now reduced to a poor humble Penitent) I said
I called upon you from Lady Spencer to pay you some Money
which She left for you.. when with the Air of a Baccelli,
She said “Oh! Ma'am, we were vastly mortified that we
“were out when your Ladyship did us the Honour of calling,” --
just as if I went to leave my Name, & expected She
should return my Visit. -- this a little disconcerted me



but as I have always made it a rule, if possible, not to be
prejudiced by outward appearances, I resolved to talk
on to her, & find out whether her Sentiments corresponded
with her manner -- I never was more affected than
by her Conversation, her gratitude to Lady Spencer her resolutions
of amendment, & total Retirement; & in short every
thing, She said, gives me hopes She is sincere, one thing
particularly, which is, her wish for Employment, by
way of supporting herself, & passing her time, which
must otherwise hang heavily -- She said indeed the
Evenings were rather dull, which indeed I could easily
believe; the Society consisting of a poor Old Woman
as deaf as a Post & a good Notable Woman, who never
had a lively Idea in her Life -- I gave her Muslin to
work for a Frock for Julia -- (She has already puckered me
a pair of Shoes upon Satin,) & I desired her to begin &
read the Spectators -- when I asked the Old deaf woman
whether they ever read in an Evening; She said, why
My Lady -- the Misfortune is, we have nothing, but Godly



Books, & they, you know, don't do so well for constant reading --
I thought the Spectators would be both godly & amusing,
& therefore made a point of her beginning them directly.
I really am quite interested about her, poor Thing, & I
shall be quite happy if She continues, as good as She
now promises to be. --
      Mr: Burrows has just been here to ask me if
I knew the handwriting of the direction of a Letter he received lately;
he last Sunday, preached a Sermon, for the Benefit
of the Sufferers by Fire in the Parish of St.- Clements
& amongst a full Congregation he collected only between
19 & 20 pounds -- a day or two after this, he received a
Letter, in a very vulgar hand directed to the Rector
of St.- Clements, London -- one would think Madam
said Mr: Burrows, that the Lady thought, I stood
always by my Church, in the Strand on purpose to receive
my Letters -- but however this Direction found
him -- & when he opened his Letter, it contained,
Sir I beg the enclosed may be applied to the Use of the
Sufferers by Fire in the Strand -- Your humble Servant A. Isleworth



& what do you think was enclosed, under this strange
Direction? a Hundred pound Bank Note. Mr: Burrows
is distressed to know whom it comes from -- as it seems
to be a feigned name -- is not this a Curious Anecdote.
to be sure Mr: Burrows meets with the most extraordinary
occurrences, that ever befell any body; or at least
his particular manner of telling them makes
them appear so. Adieu the Bell Man is past
by -- so I shall finish this tomorrow --
      Miss Duckworth is just flown up to see
me for one Day; She begs her kind Compliments
to you -- She is quite revived with her Mothers
return, & is grown quite fat. & in very good looks. --
      I hope you know there is a new Planet,
that has been discovered by a poor Industrious
German, at Bath; to the astonishment of all
the great Astronomers. Mr: Davies dined last Sunday
at Greenwich, with Doctor Maskelyne, & came home full
of this News. --       Adieu for tonight --

                            



      I hope Her Majesty continues quite well -- I have had a
Letter from Lady Louisa Clayton, full of the Queen's gracious goodness
to her. -- I wish you wanted any Artificial Flowers -- poor
Miss Cole makes them beautifully, & very Cheap. --
-- I hope you will
excuse this horrid blot. -- I have been buying my
                                                         birth day Gown.



Saturday Dear Mrs: Carter is come here to Dinner to Celebrate my birthday
-- Mrs: Fielding Lady Juliana Penn come in the Evening --
Mrs: Carter sends her Love to you -- pray give mine to Dear
Lady Charlotte -- only think of her being returned to us again
so well, & so happy. -- I have only time to say how
                                                         Affectionately I am yours
                                                                        Philadelphia Dartrey

To
      Miss Hamilton
           at the Queen's Lodge
                             Windsor

(consult diplomatic text or XML for annotations, deletions, clarifications, persons,
quotations,
spellings, uncorrected forms, split words, abbreviations, formatting)



 1. The salutation appears to the left of the dateline.
 2. Reference to a text or author, not yet identified. French vieillard means ‘old man’.
 3. Probably a reference to Giovanna Baccelli, principal ballerina at the King's Theatre. Her portrait by Gainsborough was commissioned by her lover, John Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset, and exhibited in 1782. Baccelli bore Sackville one child, John Frederick Sackville (1778-1796). Lady Dartrey's reference therefore links this lady to a more famous ‘Magdalen’.
 4. This presumably relates to William Herschel's discovery of Uranus. Herschel first noted this as a new object in the Gemini constellation in March 1781 and it was later confirmed as a planet, the first new one to be discovered since antiquity. Herschel was appointed as Astronomer Royal as a result, and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.
 5. Hamilton's addition at the foot of the page is marked via paired crosses as relating to Lady Dartrey's ‘poor industrious German’.
 6. The birthday referred to here would probably be for that of a member of the royal family, not Lady Dartrey's own (mentioned later): Royal Birthdays were a court occasion at which courtiers would be expected to dress elaborately.
 7. Moved address here from middle of page, written vertically. The address is overwritten with a ‘6’ indicating postage paid. The envelope bears the postmark ‘5/JA’.

Metadata

Library References

Repository: John Rylands Research Institute and Library, University of Manchester

Archive: Mary Hamilton Papers

Item title: Letter from Lady Dartrey (later Lady Cremorne) to Mary Hamilton

Shelfmark: HAM/1/11/16

Correspondence Details

Sender: Philadelphia Hannah, Baroness Cremorne Dawson (née Freame)

Place sent: London

Addressee: Mary Hamilton

Place received: Windsor

Date sent: 5 January 1782

Letter Description

Summary: Letter from Lady Dartrey to Mary Hamilton. The letter relates to Dartrey's aiding a woman who has fallen on hard times and living in poverty. Dartrey is disappointed that Hamilton had not called on her the previous night. She writes that she dedicates Sundays and Thursday to her children and to friends such as Hamilton and calls such days 'holiday'.
    Dartrey writes on Lady Spencer [née Poyntz], (Margaret) Georgiana, Countess Spencer (1737-1814) who she notes has 'left a Magdalen to my care'. Dartrey called on this poor woman to give her money and advice and notes that she felt awkward. The woman was once a fine Lady but now is a 'penitent'. She told the woman that she was calling on Lady Spencer's behalf with some money from her. the woman 'with the air of a Baccilli, [...] said "ah Ma[d]am, we are vastly mortified that we "were out when your La[dys[h]ip did us the Honour of Calling" [this was the Dartrey's second visit] just as if I went to leave my name, & expected she should return my Visit'. This caused Dartrey some discomfort but she writes that as a rule she tries not to judge people on outward appearances and resolved to talk with her and find out 'whether her sentiments corresponded with her manner' and was greatly moved by their conversation. The letter continues on the woman and her situation and with general news of acquaintances.
   

Length: 2 sheets, 992 words

Transliteration Information

Editorial declaration: First edited 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: Transcription and XML version created as part of project 'Unlocking the Mary Hamilton Papers', funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council under grant AH/S007121/1.

Transliterator: Cassandra Ulph, editorial team (completed 26 March 2020)

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: 22 February 2022

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