Single Letter

HAM/1/19/56

Letter from William Napier, 7th Lord Napier, to Mary Hamilton

Diplomatic Text


      34th-             on going away with Lady Wake      X      34th-

                             Edinburgh Octr 11th- 1773
I had the pleaʃure of recieving My dear Wards
Letter of the 5th instant after so very long a
ʃilence that I thought you had lost your-
self
in the Wilds of Kent however I am
extremely glad to find you & Mrs Hamilton
returned home & in so good health after
so much diʃsipation, but as you are aʃsamed
of yourself I shall not scold about your not
writing ʃooner, as I suppose such a neglect
to your Guardian wont happen again
& I order the Siroce Winds to blow in
Italy and never preʃume appearing at
Northampton at least at Hamilton House
for the future, so they will be no excuse
after this, but must own I did not
percieve they had done any harm by
yours however believe me we are extreme
ly
sorry about your Earach & hope by this time
you have sent it about its buʃineʃs as
I am sure it had none plaguing you



you desire our opinion about your London
journey with Lady Wake after Christmas
and which My dear Mary you shall have wtout
the least disguise. With a Lady of so good a
Character as Lady Wake has, I can ʃee no
reason for denying yourself a Months amuse=
ment
in London, tho I cannot ʃay I would
advise a constant residence there or in=
=deed
in any place where so constant a
round of nonʃenʃical absurd doings are con
tinually
going on, that nobody in their senʃes
could have patience with. As for the breach
of Duty you mention that must be entirely
left to your own feelings, tho I cannot think
your Mama can ever think so, as you
ʃay she ʃeems much pleased wt it, & on the
contrary that it distreʃses you, had it been
the reverse to wit had it pleased you and
distreʃsed her I should then have advised
Northampton instead of London as I should
be ʃorry to see you deʃire a thing contrary
to your Mamas opinion, so I think on the



whole you may without the least anxiety leave
MrsMiʃs Hamilton for a Month but would advise
you to stay no longer tho Mrs Hamilton should
be perswaded to give you leave for a little
time more as she may wt pleasure give
the first leave, the second be aʃsured
will be given with reluctance whatever
face may be put upon it & very natural
it should be so. One thing I beg you'll remem
ber
above all things, never on any condition
to go to any publick place without Lady
Wake
& indeed to as few private places as
you can without her & never make
any great intimacys with the London
Miʃses
as they are above all Miʃses the
most hatefull in my humble opinion &
I have the honor to be acquainted with
many whos behaviour is reckoned to be
faultleʃs & whos Characters are admired by
the beau monde, tho I should be extremely
ʃorry had I not a much higher opinion
of My dear Ward then I have of any of them



so My dear Mary dont let your Good nature
run away with a good opinion of people till
you are quite acquaint[1] with their Characters
which is not eaʃy where people are bred up
from the Cradle to diʃsemble their thoughts
& where a ʃort of affected politeneʃs paʃses
for good Nature and amiableneʃs & hides
often a very very bad heart. Now My dearest
Girl
you have both our opinions about
your London Scheme so I shall go on to
anʃwer the rest of your letter -- My
Health continues on the mending hand &
tho I have ʃome times returns of a pain
in my stomach yet on the whole I think
I am better at present than I have been
for Six Years past & am in greater
spirits than you ever ʃaw me in & am
quite fit for your ʃaucineʃs, was I
with you, you should ʃee that I would
keep it in fine order by being twenty
times more ʃaucy than your ʃaucy
Ladyship
could be for your Life



so Madam you may let your Mama know that I could
keep you in few order[2] was I at Northampton, but
that cannot happen this year of God without
some time[3] very extraordinary should fall
out -- I must own that you saw very right when
you ʃaw me shake my head abt, Beatie & controver=
=sy
, but I did not make use of the perverse Gipsey
not but that I agree with you in thinking it
might have been proper to have ʃaid it, had
it been polite; I am glad Fanchon[4] is well as
I hope Cloe & Fairry isare so too, tho' you do not
mention the two last -- I agree with you that
there is a good deal of Satire in Sir Wm Wakes
verses, tho I must think there is likeways a
great deal of truth in them likeways and
I have hinted ʃuch things formerly when
writing about a certain Ladys learning Latin. I do
not propose seeing town this Winter which
I regreate as I should have had the pleaʃure
of meeting you & of being introduced to
Sir Wm & Lady Wake whom I am very
ambitious of knowing from the good Cha=



=racter
I have heard of them from you
& other people -- Ld Cathcarts family are
all well in the Country & will certainly be
in London this Winter tho its not as yet
fixed when they set out, Miʃs Cathcart
is appointed Maid of Honor to the Queen
in the most flattering manner poʃsible
& without any bodys knowing of a vacancy
it is in the room of Miʃs Keck who is going
to be married to Lord Hereford. I knew
a daughter of Capt. Atkinʃons at a boarding
school in Norwich many years ago, but
he told me then he never had been mari
ed
to the Mother, nor do I imagine
had she been his Wife she would not
have decamped so eaʃily as she did by
what you ʃay. I am greatly obliged to you
for sending the ring and Book to Mr-
Ruʃsell
s[5] & I have ordered them to be called
for, but my dearest mary I will not let
you off the Picture that you promised
me before Mrs- Rogers and as you will be



in London this Winter a word to the wise is
enough and I charge you to remember me
in the moʃt respectfull way to her & return
her my most ʃincere thanks for being so
good as to remember me -- Miracles are
are not ceased ʃince Miʃs Kingford dont viʃit
at your house but I cannot ʃay I am very
ʃorry for it from what you told me
when at Northampton and if she continues
in the ʃame stile I think the connexion better
broke off than continued. I am ʃorry Mr-
Hope
is still obliged to remain at Northampton
& am afraid he will not ʃoon make it up
with his Father & friends as they take not
the least notice or ever speak of him I
have given them ʃeveral hints that I
was a Week at Northampton with you
but they allowed the ʃubject to drop and
did not mention him in the least
so I imagine from all that, things are
worse than he ʃeems to think as he
was in hopes that the storm would



ʃoon blow over and that they were only
giving him a bite of the bridle but I am
of a quite different opinion as I am now
perswaded they are very much offended
at him which I am extremely ʃorry for
as I think time is paʃsing away which might
be a great deal better employed than
walking the Streets & environs of the
sweet ------------ Colonel
Bland
I hear is come to Scotland but I have
not seen him nor indeed any of your
acquaintance in the Queens Dragoons
as
I have been very little about ʃince I came
to Scotland but I hear of their giving a County
a Ball and they returned it a few day ago
so you see they do not regreat Northampton-
shire
so much as Mrs- Thursby does them
Lady Napier & my three eldest joins me in
best Compliments to you & Mrs Hamilton
& believe me My dearest Mary to be most
affectionately yours. If Sir Wms- verses had not
been added yours would not have been half so
long a Letter as this remember that Madam adieu.

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


Notes


 1. ‘Chiefly Scottish in later use’, equivalent to acquainted (OED s.v. acquaint adj. A. Accessed 15-09-2020).
 2. The apparent reading few order is not yet explained.
 3. Possibly a miswriting of some time for some thing.
 4. Fanchon is most likely a dog, like Cloe (see HAM/1/19/41), and is perhaps named after Françoise Moreau (1668-after 1743), known as Fanchon, ‘a French operatic soprano [and] a celebrated beauty who was a favourite of the Great Dauphin’ (Wikipedia).
 5. See HAM/1/19/54.

Normalised Text


                       

                             Edinburgh October 11th- 1773
I had the pleasure of receiving My dear Wards
Letter of the 5th instant after so very long a
silence that I thought you had lost yourself
in the Wilds of Kent however I am
extremely glad to find you & Mrs Hamilton
returned home & in so good health after
so much dissipation, but as you are ashamed
of yourself I shall not scold about your not
writing sooner, as I suppose such a neglect
to your Guardian won't happen again
& I order the Sirocco Winds to blow in
Italy and never presume appearing at
Northampton at least at Hamilton House
for the future, so they will be no excuse
after this, but must own I did not
perceive they had done any harm by
yours however believe me we are extremely
sorry about your Earache & hope by this time
you have sent it about its business as
I am sure it had none plaguing you



you desire our opinion about your London
journey with Lady Wake after Christmas
and which My dear Mary you shall have without
the least disguise. With a Lady of so good a
Character as Lady Wake has, I can see no
reason for denying yourself a Months amusement
in London, though I cannot say I would
advise a constant residence there or indeed
in any place where so constant a
round of nonsensical absurd doings are continually
going on, that nobody in their senses
could have patience with. As for the breach
of Duty you mention that must be entirely
left to your own feelings, though I cannot think
your Mama can ever think so, as you
say she seems much pleased with it, & on the
contrary that it distresses you, had it been
the reverse to wit had it pleased you and
distressed her I should then have advised
Northampton instead of London as I should
be sorry to see you desire a thing contrary
to your Mamas opinion, so I think on the



whole you may without the least anxiety leave
Mrs Hamilton for a Month but would advise
you to stay no longer though Mrs Hamilton should
be persuaded to give you leave for a little
time more as she may with pleasure give
the first leave, the second be assured
will be given with reluctance whatever
face may be put upon it & very natural
it should be so. One thing I beg you'll remember
above all things, never on any condition
to go to any public place without Lady
Wake & indeed to as few private places as
you can without her & never make
any great intimacies with the London
Misses as they are above all Misses the
most hateful in my humble opinion &
I have the honour to be acquainted with
many whose behaviour is reckoned to be
faultless & whose Characters are admired by
the beau monde, though I should be extremely
sorry had I not a much higher opinion
of My dear Ward than I have of any of them



so My dear Mary don't let your Good nature
run away with a good opinion of people till
you are quite acquaint with their Characters
which is not easy where people are bred up
from the Cradle to dissemble their thoughts
& where a sort of affected politeness passes
for good Nature and amiableness & hides
often a very very bad heart. Now My dearest
Girl you have both our opinions about
your London Scheme so I shall go on to
answer the rest of your letter -- My
Health continues on the mending hand &
though I have some times returns of a pain
in my stomach yet on the whole I think
I am better at present than I have been
for Six Years past & am in greater
spirits than you ever saw me in & am
quite fit for your sauciness, was I
with you, you should see that I would
keep it in fine order by being twenty
times more saucy than your saucy
Ladyship could be for your Life



so Madam you may let your Mama know that I could
keep you in few order was I at Northampton, but
that cannot happen this year of God without
some time very extraordinary should fall
out -- I must own that you saw very right when
you saw me shake my head about Beatie & controversy
, but I did not make use of the perverse Gypsy
not but that I agree with you in thinking it
might have been proper to have said it, had
it been polite; I am glad Fanchon is well as
I hope Cloe & Fairry are so too, though you do not
mention the two last -- I agree with you that
there is a good deal of Satire in Sir William Wakes
verses, though I must think there is likeways a
great deal of truth in them and
I have hinted such things formerly when
writing about a certain Ladys learning Latin. I do
not propose seeing town this Winter which
I regret as I should have had the pleasure
of meeting you & of being introduced to
Sir William & Lady Wake whom I am very
ambitious of knowing from the good Character



I have heard of them from you
& other people -- Lord Cathcarts family are
all well in the Country & will certainly be
in London this Winter though it's not as yet
fixed when they set out, Miss Cathcart
is appointed Maid of Honour to the Queen
in the most flattering manner possible
& without any bodys knowing of a vacancy
it is in the room of Miss Keck who is going
to be married to Lord Hereford. I knew
a daughter of Captain Atkinsons at a boarding
school in Norwich many years ago, but
he told me then he never had been married
to the Mother, nor do I imagine
had she been his Wife she would not
have decamped so easily as she did by
what you say. I am greatly obliged to you
for sending the ring and Book to Mr-
Russells & I have ordered them to be called
for, but my dearest mary I will not let
you off the Picture that you promised
me before Mrs- Rogers and as you will be



in London this Winter a word to the wise is
enough and I charge you to remember me
in the most respectful way to her & return
her my most sincere thanks for being so
good as to remember me -- Miracles are
not ceased since Miss Kingford doesn't visit
at your house but I cannot say I am very
sorry for it from what you told me
when at Northampton and if she continues
in the same style I think the connexion better
broken off than continued. I am sorry Mr-
Hope is still obliged to remain at Northampton
& am afraid he will not soon make it up
with his Father & friends as they take not
the least notice or ever speak of him I
have given them several hints that I
was a Week at Northampton with you
but they allowed the subject to drop and
did not mention him in the least
so I imagine from all that, things are
worse than he seems to think as he
was in hopes that the storm would



soon blow over and that they were only
giving him a bite of the bridle but I am
of a quite different opinion as I am now
persuaded they are very much offended
at him which I am extremely sorry for
as I think time is passing away which might
be a great deal better employed than
walking the Streets & environs of the
sweet ------------ Colonel
Bland I hear is come to Scotland but I have
not seen him nor indeed any of your
acquaintance in the Queens Dragoons as
I have been very little about since I came
to Scotland but I hear of their giving a County
a Ball and they returned it a few day ago
so you see they do not regret Northamptonshire
so much as Mrs- Thursby does them
Lady Napier & my three eldest joins me in
best Compliments to you & Mrs Hamilton
& believe me My dearest Mary to be most
affectionately yours. If Sir Williams- verses had not
been added yours would not have been half so
long a Letter as this remember that Madam adieu.

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



 1. ‘Chiefly Scottish in later use’, equivalent to acquainted (OED s.v. acquaint adj. A. Accessed 15-09-2020).
 2. The apparent reading few order is not yet explained.
 3. Possibly a miswriting of some time for some thing.
 4. Fanchon is most likely a dog, like Cloe (see HAM/1/19/41), and is perhaps named after Françoise Moreau (1668-after 1743), known as Fanchon, ‘a French operatic soprano [and] a celebrated beauty who was a favourite of the Great Dauphin’ (Wikipedia).
 5. See HAM/1/19/54.

Metadata

Library References

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

Archive: Mary Hamilton Papers

Item title: Letter from William Napier, 7th Lord Napier, to Mary Hamilton

Shelfmark: HAM/1/19/56

Correspondence Details

Sender: William Napier, 7th Lord

Place sent: Edinburgh

Addressee: Mary Hamilton

Place received: unknown

Date sent: 11 October 1773

Letter Description

Summary: Letter from William Napier, 7th Lord Napier, to Mary Hamilton, offering his thoughts (as Hamilton requested) on her proposed visit to London with Lady Wake. He advises Hamilton to be wary of people. For some ‘affected politeness passes for good Nature and amiableness & hides often a very very bad heart’.
    Napier also writes with news on friends and family. Hamilton’s cousin, Miss Cathcart, is to be a Maid of Honour to the Queen. Colonel Bland and his regiment are to come to Scotland and there will be a ball. He writes on Sir William Wake's poetry and also about his own health. Napier is sorry that John Hope is still obliged to stay in Northampton and does not think that he will soon be on speaking terms with his father and friends ‘as they take not the least notice or ever speak of him’. He has hinted to them on the subject but they made no enquiries. He expects that things are worse for Hope than he thinks as he thought the ‘storm would pass’ and they were only giving him a taste of their anger, but Napier is of a very different opinion. Hope's family are ‘very much offended at him’ and Napier is sorry for this.
    Dated at Edinburgh.
   

Length: 2 sheets, 1428 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: Christine Wallis, editorial team (completed 2 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: 2 November 2021

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