Diplomatic Text
67
En Attendant the Conveyance of
a Frank, I will begin, my dear Friend, to
thank you for your kind Letter. I was
rejoyced by the Intelligence, which it convey'd
to me of Mr Dickenson's perfect Recovery,
for indeed his Complaint carried a very
uncomfortable Appearance, when he was in
Town. I thought my self very lucky, that
I scarcely ever happened to be out, when
he was so good to call. He seemed to me so
much like a Friend of long standing, that
we conversed as freely, as if it had been
you. pray remember me affectionately to
him. All who love you, the more they see
of Mr Dickenson, have the more comfortable
Confidence in his making you happy.
Mr Walpole has indeed suffered great
ly this Winter: but he is now perfectly reco
vered & I have the pleasure to tell you,
that he looks as well as I ever remember
67[1]
him. I have been unlucky in miʃsing him the 2
last times he was with Mrs Vesey
Not only I, but all the world, like
Florio[2]. I believe if you reconsider the Conclusi
on, your Objections will vanish. There is a print
I am told, of it in the Shops, but I have not
yet seen it.
The marriage you mention, does
still hold a place in Conversation.[3] You ask it
I give any Credit to it? I believe there is
Scarcely any Body who doubts, that the Cere
mony has past. It certainly is of no Effect
in a legal way: but it has helped I suppose
to quiet the Scruples of the Lady & her
Family. It is said she is likely to produce an
Heir. This may prove of serious Consequence.
They seem desirous of convincing the World
that they are Married. When the p. comes into
her Box at the opera, the Lady who is with
her rises: but Mrs F. sits still. The mob
have scribbled all over his Coach, no popery.
While no more violent Marks of disapprobation
are discovered, one is glad he should see
what are the sentiments of the people.
The high Ton of dreʃs for this
Winter I am told is a black velvet night
Gown & a coloured Sattin petticoat.
Mrs F.'s petticoat is pink. Another
Lady appeared in one of Scarlet: & Mr G.
Selwyn said she looked like a Chimney
on fire.
I will deliver your Meʃsage to
Miʃs Purdey if she comes to Town this
Spring. & I am sure she will receive it
with pleasure.[4]
/ I saw Mrs Delany some time
ago & thought she looked very well. since
that, she has been in great perplexity
by Mrs Porte's falling ill. She was con
fined many days to her Bed. She is now
better & removed to another House. I
have since called twice at Mrs Delany's
but the Servants told me, she was not
well enough to see me. However she is
certainly not very ill, for I find she sees
some people, & they do not give a bad
over
Account of her. poor Soul I dare say her
Spirits must have been greatly hurried
both by Mrs Porte's Illneʃs, & the Bustle
it must have occasioned in her quiet
Family. -- some Circumstances in this
Affair appeared very mysterious, to me;
& since I wrote the above, I have heard
that Mrs P. Illneʃs is called by her
Friends a nervous Fever: but by others
is thought absolute Insanity. poor Woman
sad as this Calamity is, it is a Bleʃsing
if it has been the Cause of her irregula[r]
Conduct. I will make another Tryal to
see Mrs Delany & if that does not succeed
I will not attempt it again, as it will be a
proof she does not wish to see me: for I
know she sees others. & they give a good
Account of her Health. -- I have called
again, & Mrs delany is gone to Windsor
not to return to Town. I am glad of it
as I believe it will be best for her Spirits
1786
[th]an remaining in Town.[5]
Miʃs A. Clarke was so good
to breakfast with me one morning. I
called there yesterday, but she was gone
into the Country to Miʃs Barnard's Wedding.
my Walks have for some time been cir
cumscribed, by a worse degree of the
Head ach than usual, & a little tiresome
Feverishneʃs. within the 2 last days I
have been growing better.
Our dear new Friends
in Clarges Street are much as usual.
I saw Ly Herries yesterday, who has had
an Inflammation in her Eyes: but I
hope it is going off with leʃs Severity
than usual. -- Mr & Mrs Smelt are in
[T]own. After a long Fit of the Gout in
[t]he Country. on his first coming to London
[h]e had a violent Attack of the Lumbago
[b]y which he has been confined: so that
[I] have not yet seen him. To day I hope
to meet him & Mrs Smelt at Mr Cholmle'ys[6]
[w]here I am to dine.
I beg my affectionate Compliments to
dear Lady Wake, nor forgetting your
caro sposo.
I believe I have not
told you that Capt Vesey is[7] Town,
& his Behaviour much liked by
Every Body. Ld & Lady de Vesey
Vesey are likewise in Town for a
few Days: so our dear Mrs Vesey
has her Family about her. Spencer
House was open last Night & a great
Aʃsembly was expected, much to the
Comfort of all who love to be suffocated.
Ly Spencer was so good to preʃs me to
go, but I know not any Busineʃs such
people of my Age have at such Exhibitions:
so I declined it. Adieu my dear Friend
I am your most obliged
& affectionate
ECarter
Chapel Street April 7. 1786
red text is normalised and/or unformatted in other panel)
Notes
1. The archival number ‘67’ on the support is partially obscured when the sheet is folded back to show the obverse.
2. Hannah More's poem Florio: a tale: for fine gentlemen and fine ladies, published together with Bas Bleu in 1786.
3. A marriage ceremony between George, Prince of Wales, and the twice-widowed and Catholic Maria Anne Fitzherbert, had taken place on 15 December 1785.
4. On Miss Purd(e)y, see MS Eng 1778 32b.
5. The first two letters of ‘than’, covered by the folding back of the sheet, can be read through the paper in the image of p.6.
6. The possessive ‘s’ has been squeezed in at the end of the line and the apostrophe displaced leftwards. Mr Cholmley was the Smelts' son-in-law.
7. Missing ‘in’ before ‘Town’.
Normalised Text
En Attendant the Conveyance of
a Frank, I will begin, my dear Friend, to
thank you for your kind Letter. I was
rejoiced by the Intelligence, which it conveyed
to me of Mr Dickenson's perfect Recovery,
for indeed his Complaint carried a very
uncomfortable Appearance, when he was in
Town. I thought my self very lucky, that
I scarcely ever happened to be out, when
he was so good to call. He seemed to me so
much like a Friend of long standing, that
we conversed as freely, as if it had been
you. pray remember me affectionately to
him. All who love you, the more they see
of Mr Dickenson, have the more comfortable
Confidence in his making you happy.
Mr Walpole has indeed suffered greatly
this Winter: but he is now perfectly recovered
& I have the pleasure to tell you,
that he looks as well as I ever remember
him. I have been unlucky in missing him the 2
last times he was with Mrs Vesey
Not only I, but all the world, like
Florio. I believe if you reconsider the Conclusion
, your Objections will vanish. There is a print
I am told, of it in the Shops, but I have not
yet seen it.
The marriage you mention, does
still hold a place in Conversation. You ask it
I give any Credit to it? I believe there is
Scarcely any Body who doubts, that the Ceremony
has passed. It certainly is of no Effect
in a legal way: but it has helped I suppose
to quiet the Scruples of the Lady & her
Family. It is said she is likely to produce an
Heir. This may prove of serious Consequence.
They seem desirous of convincing the World
that they are Married. When the prince comes into
her Box at the opera, the Lady who is with
her rises: but Mrs Fitzherbert sits still. The mob
have scribbled all over his Coach, no popery.
While no more violent Marks of disapprobation
are discovered, one is glad he should see
what are the sentiments of the people.
The high Ton of dress for this
Winter I am told is a black velvet night
Gown & a coloured Satin petticoat.
Mrs Fitzherbert's petticoat is pink. Another
Lady appeared in one of Scarlet: & Mr George
Selwyn said she looked like a Chimney
on fire.
I will deliver your Message to
Miss Purdey if she comes to Town this
Spring. & I am sure she will receive it
with pleasure.
I saw Mrs Delany some time
ago & thought she looked very well. since
that, she has been in great perplexity
by Mrs Porte's falling ill. She was confined
many days to her Bed. She is now
better & removed to another House. I
have since called twice at Mrs Delany's
but the Servants told me, she was not
well enough to see me. However she is
certainly not very ill, for I find she sees
some people, & they do not give a bad
Account of her. poor Soul I dare say her
Spirits must have been greatly hurried
both by Mrs Porte's Illness, & the Bustle
it must have occasioned in her quiet
Family. -- some Circumstances in this
Affair appeared very mysterious, to me;
& since I wrote the above, I have heard
that Mrs Port Illness is called by her
Friends a nervous Fever: but by others
is thought absolute Insanity. poor Woman
sad as this Calamity is, it is a Blessing
if it has been the Cause of her irregular
Conduct. I will make another Trial to
see Mrs Delany & if that does not succeed
I will not attempt it again, as it will be a
proof she does not wish to see me: for I
know she sees others. & they give a good
Account of her Health. -- I have called
again, & Mrs delany is gone to Windsor
not to return to Town. I am glad of it
as I believe it will be best for her Spirits
than remaining in Town.
Miss Anna Clarke was so good
to breakfast with me one morning. I
called there yesterday, but she was gone
into the Country to Miss Barnard's Wedding.
my Walks have for some time been circumscribed
, by a worse degree of the
Head ache than usual, & a little tiresome
Feverishness. within the 2 last days I
have been growing better.
Our dear Friends
in Clarges Street are much as usual.
I saw Lady Herries yesterday, who has had
an Inflammation in her Eyes: but I
hope it is going off with less Severity
than usual. -- Mr & Mrs Smelt are in
Town. After a long Fit of the Gout in
the Country. on his first coming to London
he had a violent Attack of the Lumbago
by which he has been confined: so that
I have not yet seen him. To day I hope
to meet him & Mrs Smelt at Mr Cholmle'ys
where I am to dine.
I beg my affectionate Compliments to
dear Lady Wake, nor forgetting your
caro sposo.
I believe I have not
told you that Captain Vesey is Town,
& his Behaviour much liked by
Every Body. Lord & Lady de
Vesey are likewise in Town for a
few Days: so our dear Mrs Vesey
has her Family about her. Spencer
House was open last Night & a great
Assembly was expected, much to the
Comfort of all who love to be suffocated.
Lady Spencer was so good to press me to
go, but I know not any Business
people of my Age have at such Exhibitions:
so I declined it. Adieu my dear Friend
I am your most obliged
& affectionate
Elizabeth Carter
Chapel Street April 7. 1786
quotations, spellings, uncorrected forms, split words, abbreviations, formatting)
Notes
Metadata
Library References
Repository: Houghton Library Repository, Harvard University
Archive: Elizabeth Carter and Hannah More letters to Mary Hamilton
Item title: Letter from Elizabeth Carter to Mary Hamilton
Shelfmark: MS Eng 1778 67
Correspondence Details
Sender: Elizabeth Carter
Place sent: London
Addressee: Mary Hamilton
Place received: Courteenhall, near Northampton (certainty: medium)
Date sent: 7 April 1786
Letter Description
Summary: Letter from Elizabeth Carter to Mary Hamilton, resumed several times during the writing. Carter is glad to hear of John Dickenson's ‘perfect Recovery’ and reports to Hamilton that ‘[h]e seemed to me so much like a Friend of long standing, that we conversed as freely, as if it had been you’. She assures Hamilton that her objections to [Hannah More's poem] Florio will vanish once she reads the conclusion. Carter discusses the rumours about the Prince [of Wales]'s marriage to Mrs F[itzherbert]. She turns to the ‘nervous Fever’ suffered by ‘Mrs Porte’ [Miss Mary Ann Port], whioh will have unsettled Mrs Delany's household. She reports that Mrs Delany did not apparently wish to receive her visits, but that Delany has now removed to Windsor. Miss A. Clarke has left town to attend Elizabeth Barnard's wedding. Elsewhere Carter reports on the health of Horace Walpole, Lady Herries and the Smelts, and she mentions the arrival in town of several relatives of Mrs Vesey. Lady Spencer had invited her to a large assembly at Spencer House, ‘much to the Comfort of all who love to be suffocated’, but she saw no point in attending such a function at her age.
Original entry in Houghton Library catalogue: Carter, Elizabeth, 1717-1806. Autograph manuscript letter (signed) to Mary Hamilton; Chaple Street,1786 April 7., 1786.
Length: 3 sheets, 000 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: XML version first created without transcription as part of project 'Unlocking the Mary Hamilton Papers', funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council under grant AH/S007121/1. Transcription added after the funded period under the supervision of David Denison and Nuria Yáñez-Bouza.
Transliterator: Pete Morris, Artificial Intelligence and Ideas Adoption (AIIA), The University of Manchester Library (Plain text transliteration submitted 26 February 2026)
Cataloguer: Bonnie B. Salt, Archivist, Houghton Library
Copyright: Transcriptions, notes and TEI/XML © the editors
Revision date: 28 September 2026
