Single Letter

HAM/1/13/1

Letter from Richard Glover to Mary Hamilton

Diplomatic Text


Typed

London ye 20th. Septr. 1776.

Dear Miranda.

The inexpreʃsible entertainment, I have
receiv'd from your letters, which have been
regularly read to me sometimes by Catherina
sometimes by Anna Maria, ought to have raiʃ'd
in me some emulation, nay an immediate
deʃire to succeed in the epiʃtolary channel of
converʃing with a diʃtant friend; but I still
feel, that my unjuʃtifiable diʃlike of writing
letters will never be eraʃ'd: how comes it then,
that I now take up my pen, without its uʃual reluctance,
and conceive in its preʃent employment a moʃt
senʃible pleaʃure? This, Miranda, becauʃe I am
writing to you -- either from gratitude for the
pleaʃure, you have given me, or that you in your
frequent commerce with Romiʃh temples and
convents have learn'd the art of working mira-
cles
: it is certainly the latter; for you, sweet
saint
, surpaʃs them all, and I am a living
inʃtance of your power. Laʃt night in the pre-
sence
of your good mother and the Miʃs Clarkes,
after the peruʃal of your laʃt letters, Mrs. Glover
with an air of sovereignty aʃk'd me, if I would
not write to Miranda; I meekly replied, that I
had much rather go to Spaa, and make my
excuʃes: but what with a series of reflection, while



awake, and of dreams, while aʃleep, I roʃe in the
morning, poʃseʃs'd with something so like inʃpi-
ration
, that after a short pauʃe of wonder at
my sudden change, I seiʃ'd my pen with tranʃport,
& instantly diʃcover'd, that the firʃt words dear
Miranda, contain'd a spel not to be weaken'd by
diʃtance, or time, nor to be reʃiʃted by any habitual
antipathy to a mode of authorʃhip, whoʃe excellence
is render'd so demonʃtrable in her.
      I proceed to inform you, that every one of the society
is well, sharing in your preʃent felicity, and impro-
ving
with every new diʃcovery by the dove sent out
from our own ark. Your tour in itʃelf is moʃt agre-
eable
; but how much more so to your senʃibility
under such a guidance & protection. I shall forever
worʃhip Lord & Lady Dartrey for their parental
care of you, and tender attention to your mother.
Reʃpecting him, you have long been appriʃ'd of
my sentiments; they are founded on perʃonal
knowledge: of her Ladyʃhip I can only say, that I
found her amiable at sight; but through you
I quickly learn'd to believe, that her merit is
equal to his: this, I fancy, will content her.
Pray kiʃs her hands in my behalf; you may
kiʃs him, where you pleaʃe: whatever of this
kind you beʃtow on him, you may place to my
account; and I promiʃe to repay you with intereʃt
upon intereʃt.
      You will probably expect from me some news
from America. I really have none to send, but will
refer you to Mr. Ellis at Spaa, who is a conʃummate



doctor on that subject. I hope, you have made
acquaintance with him. He is not horridly conceited,
nor sly, but senʃible, very senʃible. He is no French petit
maitre,[1] nor Engliʃh macaroni,[2] but that ʃtrange
sort of being, who writes knowledge, honour &
probity with a great fortune. Pray accoʃt him with
my moʃt reʃpectful compliments; and then, if he
ever thought, that I was harʃh in my examination
of him at the bar of the commons, he will grate-
fully
admit, that I make him a profuʃe attonement.
      With a thouʃand thanks for your accurate and
satiʃfactory anʃwer to my queʃtion in Flemiʃh
huʃbandry.    I remain with unalterable truth
                             Dear Miranda.
                             Your Moʃt Faithful
                             & devoted Servt
                                                         R Glover.

Mrs. Glover with her
compliments lets you
know, that every day will
exceed the length of a week,
till you return.[3]




      Esqr.
The author of
Leonidas[4]

Hosiers Ghost[5]
&c.[6]

Septr. 1776
Richard Glover
Recd. at Spa[7]


15 Madamoiʃelle
Madamoiʃelle Hamilton
      Spaa
Allemagne

3
Post pd
-12d-
Poʃte reʃtant[8]

[9]
------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------
[10]

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


Notes


 1. ‘Derogatory. An effeminate man; a dandy, a fop. Also figurative. Now chiefly archaic.’ (OED s.v. petit maître n. A1. Accessed 11-06-2020).
 2. ‘A dandy or fop; spec. (in the second half of the 18th cent.) a member of a set of young men who had travelled in Europe and extravagantly imitated Continental tastes and fashions. Also in extended use. Now historical.’ (OED s.v. macaroni n. 2. Accessed 11-06-2020).
 3. This postscript appears to the left of the closer of the letter.
 4. Richard Glover's historic poem from 1737.
 5. Referring to the ballad 'Admiral Hosier's Ghost', which Richard Glover wrote in 1740.
 6. This annotation is written in the top-right corner of the page.
 7. This annotation is written vertically in the bottom-right corner of the page.
 8. The postage details are written around the last two address lines.
 9. Seal fragment, in red wax.
 10. A note written by Richard Glover seems to have been cancelled and/or censored at a later stage, possibly by Mary Hamilton.

Normalised Text



London the 20th. September 1776.

Dear Miranda.

The inexpressible entertainment, I have
received from your letters, which have been
regularly read to me sometimes by Catherina
sometimes by Anna Maria, ought to have raised
in me some emulation, nay an immediate
desire to succeed in the epistolary channel of
conversing with a distant friend; but I still
feel, that my unjustifiable dislike of writing
letters will never be erased: how comes it then,
that I now take up my pen, without its usual reluctance,
and conceive in its present employment a most
sensible pleasure? This, Miranda, because I am
writing to you -- either from gratitude for the
pleasure, you have given me, or that you in your
frequent commerce with Romish temples and
convents have learned the art of working miracles
: it is certainly the latter; for you, sweet
saint, surpass them all, and I am a living
instance of your power. Last night in the presence
of your good mother and the Miss Clarkes,
after the perusal of your last letters, Mrs. Glover
with an air of sovereignty asked me, if I would
not write to Miranda; I meekly replied, that I
had much rather go to Spaa, and make my
excuses: but what with a series of reflection, while



awake, and of dreams, while asleep, I rose in the
morning, possessed with something so like inspiration
, that after a short pause of wonder at
my sudden change, I seized my pen with transport,
& instantly discovered, that the first words dear
Miranda, contained a spell not to be weakened by
distance, or time, nor to be resisted by any habitual
antipathy to a mode of authorship, whose excellence
is rendered so demonstrable in her.
      I proceed to inform you, that every one of the society
is well, sharing in your present felicity, and improving
with every new discovery by the dove sent out
from our own ark. Your tour in itself is most agreeable
; but how much more so to your sensibility
under such a guidance & protection. I shall forever
worship Lord & Lady Dartrey for their parental
care of you, and tender attention to your mother.
Respecting him, you have long been apprised of
my sentiments; they are founded on personal
knowledge: of her Ladyship I can only say, that I
found her amiable at sight; but through you
I quickly learned to believe, that her merit is
equal to his: this, I fancy, will content her.
Pray kiss her hands in my behalf; you may
kiss him, where you please: whatever of this
kind you bestow on him, you may place to my
account; and I promise to repay you with interest
upon interest.
      You will probably expect from me some news
from America. I really have none to send, but will
refer you to Mr. Ellis at Spaa, who is a consummate



doctor on that subject. I hope, you have made
acquaintance with him. He is not horridly conceited,
nor sly, but sensible, very sensible. He is no French petit
maitre, nor English macaroni, but that strange
sort of being, who writes knowledge, honour &
probity with a great fortune. Pray accost him with
my most respectful compliments; and then, if he
ever thought, that I was harsh in my examination
of him at the bar of the commons, he will gratefully
admit, that I make him a profuse atonement.
      With a thousand thanks for your accurate and
satisfactory answer to my question in Flemish
husbandry.    I remain with unalterable truth
                             Dear Miranda.
                             Your Most Faithful
                             & devoted Servant
                                                         Richard Glover.

Mrs. Glover with her
compliments lets you
know, that every day will
exceed the length of a week,
till you return.




     


15 Madamoiselle
Madamoiselle Hamilton
      Spaa
Allemagne



(consult diplomatic text or XML for annotations, deletions, clarifications, persons,
quotations,
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 1. ‘Derogatory. An effeminate man; a dandy, a fop. Also figurative. Now chiefly archaic.’ (OED s.v. petit maître n. A1. Accessed 11-06-2020).
 2. ‘A dandy or fop; spec. (in the second half of the 18th cent.) a member of a set of young men who had travelled in Europe and extravagantly imitated Continental tastes and fashions. Also in extended use. Now historical.’ (OED s.v. macaroni n. 2. Accessed 11-06-2020).
 3. This postscript appears to the left of the closer of the letter.
 4. Richard Glover's historic poem from 1737.
 5. Referring to the ballad 'Admiral Hosier's Ghost', which Richard Glover wrote in 1740.
 6. This annotation is written in the top-right corner of the page.
 7. This annotation is written vertically in the bottom-right corner of the page.
 8. The postage details are written around the last two address lines.
 9. Seal fragment, in red wax.
 10. A note written by Richard Glover seems to have been cancelled and/or censored at a later stage, possibly by Mary Hamilton.

Metadata

Library References

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

Archive: Mary Hamilton Papers

Item title: Letter from Richard Glover to Mary Hamilton

Shelfmark: HAM/1/13/1

Correspondence Details

Sender: Richard Glover

Place sent: London

Addressee: Mary Hamilton

Place received: unknown

Date sent: 20 September 1776

Letter Description

Summary: Letter from Richard Glover to Mary Hamilton. He writes that he gains a great deal of entertainment from her letters. Glover does not enjoy writing letters but he takes up his pen on this occasion with pleasure as he is writing to her. He continues his letter on his family and Hamilton's friends the Clarke sisters (HAM/1/10) and notes that Hamilton will expect some news from him about the situation in America but that he has none. Hamilton is currently on a visit to Spa with Lord and Lady Dartrey (see HAM/2/1) and he advises that she seek out there a Dr. Ellis who is also there and who is a 'consummate doctor on that subject'. He hopes that she will become acquainted with him and writes that he is neither 'conceited' nor 'sly' but is a 'sensible' man. He is 'that strange sort of being, who writes knowledge, honour & probity with a great fortune'.
    Dated at London.
   

Length: 1 sheet, 624 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: Tino Oudesluijs, editorial team (completed 19 June 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: 20 October 2023

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