Diplomatic Text
[1]
10
August 27th. 1780
Sunday Night
12 oClock
It has not been in my power my dearest and
amiable friend to find a comfortable leisure
hour to hold sweet converse with you since
last Monday two post days without writing, -- what a long silence! -- I have had
the delight each day to receive some lines from
you -- shall employ this hour of silence to
answer yours -- & shall borrow from the night
to talk with my Astrea.
I have laid before me those dear letters of yours wch-
are unanswered & shall proceed regularly to
answer wt. I find neceʃsary, to avoid mistake
& omiʃsion. The Xtening will not be at Babel
for Rhea wrote to tell Perfecta it wd.
Louvre,[2] & I hear ye. child will be Xtened at
five weeks old on that account -- so you may
not expect to see me till the 5th. Week after
ye. Birth of ye. Child, and yt. event you know
must remain rather uncertain -- she expects
I believe in ye. first week of September.
I was much entertain'd by the account of ye.
Sack-race -- & wish'd myself with you in the Barnes
Garden -- I long to see your Han̅overian Lady,
perhaps I shall this Winter -- but I charge
you do not let me find a rival in her -- I
own I am with respect to you very selfish,
& you have made me discover that I have
jealousy in my composition. Lady M. H. &
her daughter were pleased wth. your remembrance
of them & desired their Compts. to you. they
went away last Thursday -- I found them such
as you describe -- On WednesdayTuesday there was
a little Ball made up for them by some
Nephews and Neices of Lady M H. Dr Bajott
of Christ Church who is the Husband of one
of them has a living at Jevington about
4 miles from hence where he resides abt. two or 3 months a year -- (he is a man of very
superior abilities and character) -- Mrs. Bajott
having two Brothers & Sisters wth. her, & engaging
two or 3 other families to join, made up a
pretty little dance -- I was invited but as I was
apprehensive of heating myself I declin'd going
-- I did go however, for as Ldy. M. H. call'd for
Perfecta abt. 10 oClock just to look in upon
the dancers I went with ym., & then was
prevail'd upon to join the dance & staid till
½ past one in ye. Morng. -- I was amused, the
people were good humour'd, & I did not suffer
for this diʃsipation; On Wednesday the H.
came pour prendre longet -- Caled lent M. H. &
me his Post Chaise & we went to Jevington --
Mrs. B. having civily preʃs'd me to come, knowing
I cd. not receive her visit at Pʃs. E house.
we found ym. at tea & staid abt. ½ an hour
Mrs. B. appears good humour'd but is not
wellmuch polish'd -- the same her sisters --
I was sorry not to be able to enter more
into conversation wth. ye. Dr- I was pleased
wth. his manner, & his countenance is
interesting -- his person has quite the
appearance of a studious man -- at least
such as one often fancies studious Men must
have -- so thin so very thin is Dr. B. that he
appears the Shadow of a Shadow. during our
drive M. H. conversed a good deal -- but I was
obliged to lead on from one thing to another
to keep up the conversation -- I feel a kindneʃs
for her -- she is so gentle & unpresuming --
& then she in a very pretty manner told me
she should regret having known me if she
might not hope to continue the acquaintance
in Town &c &c
I am more astonished than I can expreʃs at
------ insolence -- How mean to take
privilege of her sex to say such rude &
groʃs things -- what could have provoked her
to attack Benedict[3] -- for of all the men I ever
met with I never knew one more delicate or
more attentive in his manner & conversation;
to be able therefore to say rude things to him
must require no common share of effrontery.
what are the Subjects of ye. Books Edwin has sent
you? I am at length free'd from his correspon-
dence -- for I have not had a letter for some
time -- I did not answer two or three terrible
long ones he wrote me last month -- I suppose
you intend to follow my example
I am now got to yours of the 20th.- Caled[4] received
your Compts. with pleasure & I managed so well,
that an answer, otherwise than through me
was not neceʃsary -- give my grateful thanks
to Benedict & tell him I shall ask him for
three Guineas when I see him -- I have the
comfort of telling you that a very considerable
subscription has been raised for the poor
Widow; more of this when we meet, -- Ah when
will that be! I think I hear you exclaim. --
Do not from what I have said judge too
unfavorable of Caled -- he is not I beleive
so amiable as I thought him -- nor do I
think him a proper person for the place
he fills -- he will do very well to live in
the World, & has liv'd much in it -- he is
acquainted wth. the tricks of ye. World wch. often
makes him advance illiberal notions &c.&c
Hamet & Omar I am fully persuaded are
most estimable characters -- I know rather
more of the former, as he has, in our rides
opened himself to me with all the candour
& confidence of friendship.
You make me tremble my Astrea -- I do not
like the account you send me of the state of
your mind -- Oh beware of endulging yourself
to think over past events -- for surely my
Love to that only you could[5] allude -- “pity
you” -- yes I do from my Soul -- how could
you -- how could my friend imagine I ever
should “despise” her -- my God how could you
write the word -- do I not know & feel that
my Astreas mind is superior -- she never
can act wrong -- she may indeed feel too
much -- you have charg'd me not to alarm
myself -- I will not -- but then I conjure
you keep me not in ignorance in any thing
relative to you -- you have indeed promised
me you will not, & I depend upon your
promises. You say “tell me that you love
me”; esteem me” -- could you see into my
Heart you wld- see how I lov'd -- &, I must
esteem where I greatly love. Thank
God You are better in Health. -- 'tis impoʃsible
for me to tell you whether I shall be at Babel
or Leuctra at my return.
Yours of the 24th. is apparently apparently
written in great agitation of spirits -- Benedicts
indisposition will certainly increase your
complaints -- I hope to receive better accounts of him
tomorrow -- how could you be so indiscreet
to heat yourself by walking -- surely there
could be no occasion so preʃsing to oblige
You to walk in August in Town -- I am
glad you are going to drink the Bath waters
they always stand - your friend. -- let me
know if they agree equally well with you as
formerly. --
Monday Morng. 28th. I had intended telling
You of a little excursion we took on Friday
but I must postpone it till next post --
Yours of Satry. is just come -- my fears are
realliz'd -- Your letter has dejected me
beyond expreʃsion -- yet I thank you for it.
let me hear next post -- fail not, for you
know wt. I shall suffer if I am kept in
suspence -- God Almighty protect you &
restore Health to Benedict & Yourself --
Adieu my friend my Astrea -- I
have not time for more Adieu ------
Miranda[6]
Lady Charlotte Finch Perfecta desires you will accept her best
Compts. shd. be obliged if you wd. send the
inclosed for her --
27th August
1780[7]
red text is normalised and/or unformatted in other panel)
Notes
1. This letter was originally catalogued as two separate items, i.e. HAM/15/2/11 (pp.1-3) and HAM/1/15/2/12 (pp.4-5).
2. Likely St James's Palace. Prince Alfred would be born on 22 September and was christened at St. James's on 21 October 1780.
3. It is possible that 'Benedict' is a code name for Charlotte Margaret Gunning's brother George.
4. The code name 'Caled', as also 'Hamet' and 'Omar' in the next paragraph, appear to be taken from John Hawkesworth's Almoran and Hamet: An Oriental Tale (1760). Almoran and Hamet are twin heirs to the throne of Persia. Hamet, the younger twin, becomes 'gentle, courteous, and temperate', unlike his 'haughty [...] voluptuous [...] and iraſcible' elder brother (according to the account of the poem in The London Magazine vol.30). Omar is 'an old faithful counſellor', and Caled an officer in charge of the prison gate.
5. Original ‘could you’ marked for reversal with numbers ‘2 1’ above.
6. An annotator (likely Mary Hamilton herself) has crossed out 'Miranda'. See also HAM/1/15/2/16 and HAM/1/15/2/18.
7. This dateline is written upside down.
Normalised Text
August 27th. 1780
Sunday Night
12 o'Clock
It has not been in my power my dearest and
amiable friend to find a comfortable leisure
hour to hold sweet converse with you since
last Monday two post days without writing, -- what a long silence! -- I have had
the delight each day to receive some lines from
you -- shall employ this hour of silence to
answer yours -- & shall borrow from the night
to talk with my Astrea.
I have laid before me those dear letters of yours which
are unanswered & shall proceed regularly to
answer what I find necessary, to avoid mistake
& omission. The Christening will not be at Babel
for Rhea wrote to tell Perfecta it would
Louvre, & I hear the child will be Christened at
five weeks old on that account -- so you may
not expect to see me till the 5th. Week after
the Birth of the Child, and that event you know
must remain rather uncertain -- she expects
I believe in the first week of September.
I was much entertained by the account of the
Sack-race -- & wished myself with you in the Barnes
Garden -- I long to see your Hanoverian Lady,
perhaps I shall this Winter -- but I charge
you do not let me find a rival in her -- I
own I am with respect to you very selfish,
& you have made me discover that I have
jealousy in my composition. Lady Mary Hume &
her daughter were pleased with your remembrance
of them & desired their Compliments to you. they
went away last Thursday -- I found them such
as you describe -- On Tuesday there was
a little Ball made up for them by some
Nephews and Nieces of Lady Mary Hume. Dr Bajott
of Christ Church who is the Husband of one
of them has a living at Jevington about
4 miles from hence where he resides about two or 3 months a year -- (he is a man of very
superior abilities and character) -- Mrs. Bajott
having two Brothers & Sisters wth. her, & engaging
two or 3 other families to join, made up a
pretty little dance -- I was invited but as I was
apprehensive of heating myself I declined going
-- I did go however, for as Lady Mary Hume called for
Perfecta about 10 o'Clock just to look in upon
the dancers I went with them, & then was
prevailed upon to join the dance & stayed till
½ past one in the Morning -- I was amused, the
people were good humoured, & I did not suffer
for this dissipation; On Wednesday the Humes
came pour prendre longet -- Caled lent Miss Hume &
me his Post Chaise & we went to Jevington --
Mrs. Bagot having civily pressed me to come, knowing
I could not receive her visit at Princess Elizabeth house.
we found them at tea & stayed about ½ an hour
Mrs. Bagot appears good humoured but is not
much polished -- the same her sisters --
I was sorry not to be able to enter more
into conversation with the Dr- I was pleased
with his manner, & his countenance is
interesting -- his person has quite the
appearance of a studious man -- at least
such as one often fancies studious Men must
have -- so thin so very thin is Dr. Bagot that he
appears the Shadow of a Shadow. during our
drive Miss Hume conversed a good deal -- but I was
obliged to lead on from one thing to another
to keep up the conversation -- I feel a kindness
for her -- she is so gentle & unpresuming --
& then she in a very pretty manner told me
she should regret having known me if she
might not hope to continue the acquaintance
in Town &c &c
I am more astonished than I can express at
insolence -- How mean to take
privilege of her sex to say such rude &
gross things -- what could have provoked her
to attack Benedict -- for of all the men I ever
met with I never knew one more delicate or
more attentive in his manner & conversation;
to be able therefore to say rude things to him
must require no common share of effrontery.
what are the Subjects of the Books Edwin has sent
you? I am at length freed from his correspondence
-- for I have not had a letter for some
time -- I did not answer two or three terrible
long ones he wrote me last month -- I suppose
you intend to follow my example
I am now got to yours of the 20th.- Caled received
your Compliments with pleasure & I managed so well,
that an answer, otherwise than through me
was not necessary -- give my grateful thanks
to Benedict & tell him I shall ask him for
three Guineas when I see him -- I have the
comfort of telling you that a very considerable
subscription has been raised for the poor
Widow; more of this when we meet, -- Ah when
will that be! I think I hear you exclaim. --
Do not from what I have said judge too
unfavourable of Caled -- he is not I believe
so amiable as I thought him -- nor do I
think him a proper person for the place
he fills -- he will do very well to live in
the World, & has lived much in it -- he is
acquainted with the tricks of the World which often
makes him advance illiberal notions &c.&c
Hamet & Omar I am fully persuaded are
most estimable characters -- I know rather
more of the former, as he has, in our rides
opened himself to me with all the candour
& confidence of friendship.
You make me tremble my Astrea -- I do not
like the account you send me of the state of
your mind -- Oh beware of indulging yourself
to think over past events -- for surely my
Love to that only you could allude -- “pity
you” -- yes I do from my Soul -- how could
you -- how could my friend imagine I ever
should “despise” her -- my God how could you
write the word -- do I not know & feel that
my Astreas mind is superior -- she never
can act wrong -- she may indeed feel too
much -- you have charged me not to alarm
myself -- I will not -- but then I conjure
you keep me not in ignorance in any thing
relative to you -- you have indeed promised
me you will not, & I depend upon your
promises. You say “tell me that you love
me”; esteem me” -- could you see into my
Heart you would see how I loved -- &, I must
esteem where I greatly love. Thank
God You are better in Health. -- 'tis impossible
for me to tell you whether I shall be at Babel
or Leuctra at my return.
Yours of the 24th. is apparently
written in great agitation of spirits -- Benedicts
indisposition will certainly increase your
complaints -- I hope to receive better accounts of him
tomorrow -- how could you be so indiscreet
to heat yourself by walking -- surely there
could be no occasion so pressing to oblige
You to walk in August in Town -- I am
glad you are going to drink the Bath waters
they always stand your friend. -- let me
know if they agree equally well with you as
formerly. --
Monday Morning 28th. I had intended telling
You of a little excursion we took on Friday
but I must postpone it till next post --
Yours of Saturday is just come -- my fears are
realised -- Your letter has dejected me
beyond expression -- yet I thank you for it.
let me hear next post -- fail not, for you
know what I shall suffer if I am kept in
suspense -- God Almighty protect you &
restore Health to Benedict & Yourself --
Adieu my friend my Astrea -- I
have not time for more Adieu ------
Perfecta desires you will accept her best
Compliments should be obliged if you would send the
enclosed for her --
27th August
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 Mary Hamilton to Charlotte Margaret Gunning
Shelfmark: HAM/1/15/2/11
Correspondence Details
Sender: Mary Hamilton
Place sent: Windsor (certainty: high)
Addressee: Charlotte Margaret Digby (née Gunning)
Place received: unknown
Date sent: 28 August 1780
Letter Description
Summary: Letter from Mary Hamilton to Charlotte Gunning. The letter is concerned
with her friendship with Gunning and court life. She writes that Gunning
many not expect to see her until five weeks after the birth of the
[Queen's] child. The date is uncertain but Hamilton believes that the
baby is due in the first week of September.
Hamilton was greatly entertained with Gunning's account of the sack race
and writes of a small ball that she was 'prevailed upon to join the
dance'. She continues with news of friends and of a woman [her name as
been crossed out] who she describes as insolent. 'How mean to take the
privilege of her sex to say such [...] things – what could have provoked
her to attack Benedict'[Gunning's brother]. Hamilton notes that she has
never met such an 'attentive' and 'delicate' man and would not be 'able
therefore to say rude things to him'. She asks Gunning what books 'Edwin'
had sent her and notes that she herself has not received any letters from
him as she did not reply to two or three long letters he sent her.
Hamilton assumes that Gunning will be following her example.
Hamilton speaks about a subscription that she is collecting for a
'poor widow'. Hamilton also writes (using code names) of others in the Court, one
of whom at least she thinks not suited to the role, being 'acquainted w[i]th
the tricks of the World'. Much of the letter is concerned with Gunning's state of
mind and their relationship.
Hamilton and Gunning have assigned code names such as 'Perfecta' [Lady
Charlotte Finch (HAM/1/12)], 'Louvre' and 'Babel' for the people and
places at Court.
Previously catalogued as two separate items, HAM/1/15/2/11 and HAM/1/15/2/12.
Original reference No. 10.
Length: 2 sheets, 1328 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.
Research assistant: Donald Alasdair Morrison, undergraduate student, University of Manchester
Transliterator: Anna Lawson-Walker, undergraduate student, University of Manchester (submitted November 2014)
Transliterator: Cassandra Ulph, editorial team (completed 22 September 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: 30 September 2023