HAM/1/19/26
Letter from William Napier (later 7th Lord Napier) to Mary Hamilton
Diplomatic Text
[1]
10th- X
Canterbury Decr, 27th 1772
I was favored with my dearest Mary letter
of the 24th instant last night & you may
be ʃure of pardon or any thing else
you can deʃire of me, & in my power
to grant, tho I cannot help ʃaying and
hoping that for the future my dear
Girl will take a little more time be=
=fore she judges between herself & my
affection for her, but I shall ʃay no more
of it, as her own letter has ʃaid more
than I should ever have ʃaid had she
not made no conceʃsions at all -- I
thank God I am at present quite well
& in spirits & hope with care to con-
tinue so for the winter & shall take
particular care of my health ʃince you
are so very obliging My dear Girl to ʃay
that you are concerned in it and shd-
obey you in writing many sheets had
not the Doctor ordered me neither
to write or read long at a time and as
I am always so impatient to anʃwer yours
I am afraid my letters cannot be so long
as I wish, tho I must own I seldom know
when to give over when I am writing to
you, it gives me so much real pleasure.
The agreeable Widow Barrington[2] happens
to be Aunt to the amiable & agreeable
Mr Price so I make no doubt but Miʃs
Hamilton does & might hear of her, but
my dear Girl is rather out about the
elegant Suppers she gives Col Napier
as I can aʃsure you he never in his
life supped with Mrs Barrington but
once & that is above two months ago
before the Seventh Regiment of Drags-
was quartered in Northampton other=
=wise I might have mentioned it to you
after I had known you had ʃeen Capt-
Price but entre nous I dont believe
I am much of a favorite with the
widow and was it not for Cards I believe
I should have the happineʃs to be but very
seldom in her Company. I am so very
well acquainted with almost every body
here that we meet in almost every
house she goes too & you know of Course
I fill up a vacancy at a Card table just
as well as another so com̅only have
an invitation to her card party's
which when not otherwise engaged I always
go too, as I think the widow of a General
Officer has a right to demand Civility's
from every Officer in the army
I am my dear Girl extremely obliged to
your friend Mrs- Rogers for her meʃsage
in yours but I either am quite stupid
or have loʃsedlost my memory as I am
totally unacquainted with the Lady by
that name but suppose her being your
friend that she has ʃome little regard
for me being certain no body can have
have more friendship for you than I have as
thro that Channel I have a right to
claim ʃome little regard from her as
your friend. O my dearest Girl & beg
Mrs Rogers a thouʃand pardons I've
just recollected your next door
Neighbour please return my best respects
to her with the Compts- of the Seaʃon
& tell her I must love every body
that is a friend to my dearest Mary
Mr A --- is a minor Cannon, not a
Prebend in this Church I am not
acquainted with him tho I have ʃeen
at Mrs Barringtons two of his Daugh
=ters one about Sixteen ye other fifteen
as near as I could gueʃs from once
seeing them. I really am extremely con
cern'd for the Kitten to whom I beg my
best wishes may be acceptable I agree
with you that the perscreption ʃeems to be
an odd one tho they should know best
& if I recollect you once huffed[3] me for
hinting that Love may be the Cause of
her mourning as the ʃong says, but
from the Phiʃicians perscription I must
still keep my opinion tho its not in ye
least neceʃsary to hint my suspicions
to her as few young Lady's likes to have
those things known -- I know Mr-
Egerton's family &c but have no ac=
=quaintance with him in the least.
But you are my dearest Mary quite right
to put confidence in me & be aʃsured
I never will make a bad use of it, so
I beg you'll always open your heart
freely to me & believe me you have
not a greater friend lives or one that
has your happineʃs more at heart
than I have I am glad you are to have
no disturbance at your election, am very
glad the Brawn was good, you see I shew
you that I run from one thing to another
its the best way between friends as by
that one ʃees that they do not study for
things to fill up letters, as those are always
dry & inʃipid that dont come at once without
much thinking adieu for ʃome time my
Dearest Girl as I am obliged to give over but
hope to make this long, if not take the
will for deed but always believe that I
am most faithfully & affctly Yours &c
= [4] Monday 28th two o'Clock in the morning I
have my dearest Mary been writing ʃince
ten o'Clock upon buʃineʃs but will if I
can poʃsible write out this sheet to
you to shew you that my greatest --
happineʃs & Pleaʃure is to obey you in
[5] every thing in my Power nor am I
afraid to ʃay that I indulge myself with
pleaʃure to think that my dear Girl has
ʃome pleaʃure in writing to you.me. I
met Mrs- Barrington to night & told
her that I had the pleaʃure of hearing
from Northampton that her Nephew
was well pray says she what Correspond
ance have you there as I have heard
you ʃay that you had none in ye Regt., that
is true Madam ʃays I, but I have a young
Lady there that I call my Daughter and
my ward who is so good as I believe
to look upon me as one of her best
friends, but Madam I can aʃsure you
she is not a Northampton Lady but a
relation of mine who lives there, and
one I have a most particular regard for.
so there my dear the converʃation
dropt but only said she hoped her Nephew
knew you as from what I ʃaid she
was certain you must be an agreeable
acquaintance -- I did not think the
last ought to be anʃwered by any thing
else but a low Bow which I certainly
made so we went to another subject.
as I shall do now, by beging you to remem
ber my best Compts- to your Mama and
that I am extremely obliged to her for
her kind concerns about my health
& that I am happy that hers is so
much better for which reaʃon I
hope to have longer letters from you
( [6] Pray my Good Girl think when you ʃay
that you are always in a hurry and
that you have little time to spare by
being obliged to write yr Mama's letters
think then what I have to write yt
most days & nights I am to this hour
seldom in bed by being obliged to write
so many letters on Regimental buʃineʃs
) & likeways to a numerous Correspondence
among relations -- I never heard of Miʃs Cathcart
going as a Maid of Honor, nor do I believe it
tho its difficult to ʃay what may happen
but I know nothing of it I can aʃsure you
but if I hear any thing for certain you shall
be made acquainted with it,[7] I hope you write ʃome times to yr Uncle[8]
if you do not I beg you may as I think it proper and as my[9]
daughter & ward I order you to do it, & I know you too dutifull
to disobey me tho I am afraid you have more com̅and over me
than I have over you, witneʃs the length of this letter, at this
Hour and in my situation Adieu my dearest dearest Mary
believe me yours most unchangable & Affctly WmNapier
Goodnight or rather Good morning, past three o'Clock & a frosty morning
and I most sleepy adieu once more My dearest Girl
[10]
To Miʃs Hamilton
Northamptonshire[11]
9th10th-
J Free Sawbridge
red text is normalised and/or unformatted in other panel)
Notes
1. Extracts from this letter appear in Anson & Anson (1925: 20), albeit under the wrong date.
2. Throughout this letter all personal and place-names have been censored, probably by Hamilton, by means of erasure of all text after the initial and the addition of a long line.
3. ‘To hector, bully; to scold, chide, storm at’ (OED s.v. huff v. 6a. Accessed 10-12-2020).
4. There is a mark at the left in red crayon indicating where Napier resumes the letter.
5. A vertical red line in the left margin marks off the last five lines in this column of text.
6. There are marks in the left margin at each end of the passage from ‘Pray’ to ‘Correspondence’.
7. Jane Cathcart became Maid of Honour to Queen Charlotte on 1 June 1774; news of the appointment is broken by William Napier in HAM/1/19/56, dated 11 October 1773.
8. Napier clarifies in HAM/1/19/27 that Charles Cathcart is meant here.
9. Two vertical red lines in the right margin mark off the three or four lines at the top of the page.
10. The address on this page is in the hand of John Sawbridge, MP for Hythe, who provided the frank.
11. Circular postmark in reddish brown ink, now illegible; possibly a ‘FREE’ frank stamp.
Normalised Text
Canterbury December 27th 1772
I was favoured with my dearest Mary letter
of the 24th instant last night & you may
be sure of pardon or any thing else
you can desire of me, & in my power
to grant, though I cannot help saying and
hoping that for the future my dear
Girl will take a little more time before
she judges between herself & my
affection for her, but I shall say no more
of it, as her own letter has said more
than I should ever have said had she
made no concessions at all -- I
thank God I am at present quite well
& in spirits & hope with care to continue
so for the winter & shall take
particular care of my health since you
are so very obliging My dear Girl to say
that you are concerned in it and should
obey you in writing many sheets had
not the Doctor ordered me neither
to write or read long at a time and as
I am always so impatient to answer yours
I am afraid my letters cannot be so long
as I wish, though I must own I seldom know
when to give over when I am writing to
you, it gives me so much real pleasure.
The agreeable Widow Barrington happens
to be Aunt to the amiable & agreeable
Mr Price so I make no doubt but Miss
Hamilton does & might hear of her, but
my dear Girl is rather out about the
elegant Suppers she gives Colonel Napier
as I can assure you he never in his
life supped with Mrs Barrington but
once & that is above two months ago
before the Seventh Regiment of Dragoons
was quartered in Northampton otherwise
I might have mentioned it to you
after I had known you had seen Captain
Price but entre nous I don't believe
I am much of a favourite with the
widow and was it not for Cards I believe
I should have the happiness to be but very
seldom in her Company. I am so very
well acquainted with almost every body
here that we meet in almost every
house she goes to & you know of Course
I fill up a vacancy at a Card table just
as well as another so commonly have
an invitation to her card party's
which when not otherwise engaged I always
go to, as I think the widow of a General
Officer has a right to demand Civility's
from every Officer in the army
I am my dear Girl extremely obliged to
your friend Mrs- Rogers for her message
in yours but I either am quite stupid
or have lost my memory as I am
totally unacquainted with the Lady by
that name but suppose her being your
friend that she has some little regard
for me being certain no body can
have more friendship for you than I have as
through that Channel I have a right to
claim some little regard from her as
your friend. O my dearest Girl & beg
Mrs Rogers a thousand pardons I've
just recollected your next door
Neighbour please return my best respects
to her with the Compliments of the Season
& tell her I must love every body
that is a friend to my dearest Mary
Mr A --- is a minor Canon, not a
Prebend in this Church I am not
acquainted with him though I have seen
at Mrs Barringtons two of his Daughters
one about Sixteen the other fifteen
as near as I could guess from once
seeing them. I really am extremely concerned
for the Kitten to whom I beg my
best wishes may be acceptable I agree
with you that the prescription seems to be
an odd one though they should know best
& if I recollect you once huffed me for
hinting that Love may be the Cause of
her mourning as the song says, but
from the Physicians prescription I must
still keep my opinion though it's not in the
least necessary to hint my suspicions
to her as few young Lady's likes to have
those things known -- I know Mr-
Egerton's family &c but have no acquaintance
with him in the least.
But you are my dearest Mary quite right
to put confidence in me & be assured
I never will make a bad use of it, so
I beg you'll always open your heart
freely to me & believe me you have
not a greater friend lives or one that
has your happiness more at heart
than I have I am glad you are to have
no disturbance at your election, am very
glad the Brawn was good, you see I show
you that I run from one thing to another
it's the best way between friends as by
that one sees that they do not study for
things to fill up letters, as those are always
dry & insipid that don't come at once without
much thinking adieu for some time my
Dearest Girl as I am obliged to give over but
hope to make this long, if not take the
will for deed but always believe that I
am most faithfully & affectionately Yours &c
Monday 28th two o'Clock in the morning I
have my dearest Mary been writing since
ten o'Clock upon business but will if I
can possible write out this sheet to
you to show you that my greatest --
happiness & Pleasure is to obey you in
every thing in my Power nor am I
afraid to say that I indulge myself with
pleasure to think that my dear Girl has
some pleasure in writing to me. I
met Mrs- Barrington to night & told
her that I had the pleasure of hearing
from Northampton that her Nephew
was well pray says she what Correspondence
have you there as I have heard
you say that you had none in the Regiment, that
is true Madam says I, but I have a young
Lady there that I call my Daughter and
my ward who is so good as I believe
to look upon me as one of her best
friends, but Madam I can assure you
she is not a Northampton Lady but a
relation of mine who lives there, and
one I have a most particular regard for.
so there my dear the conversation
dropped but only said she hoped her Nephew
knew you as from what I said she
was certain you must be an agreeable
acquaintance -- I did not think the
last ought to be answered by any thing
else but a low Bow which I certainly
made so we went to another subject.
as I shall do now, by begging you to remember
my best Compliments to your Mama and
that I am extremely obliged to her for
her kind concerns about my health
& that I am happy that hers is so
much better for which reason I
hope to have longer letters from you
Pray my Good Girl think when you say
that you are always in a hurry and
that you have little time to spare by
being obliged to write your Mama's letters
think then what I have to write that
most days & nights I am to this hour
seldom in bed by being obliged to write
so many letters on Regimental business
& likeways to a numerous Correspondence
among relations -- I never heard of Miss Cathcart
going as a Maid of Honour, nor do I believe it
though it's difficult to say what may happen
but I know nothing of it I can assure you
but if I hear any thing for certain you shall
be made acquainted with it, I hope you write some times to your Uncle
if you do not I beg you may as I think it proper and as my
daughter & ward I order you to do it, & I know you too dutiful
to disobey me though I am afraid you have more command over me
than I have over you, witness the length of this letter, at this
Hour and in my situation Adieu my dearest dearest Mary
believe me yours most unchangeable & Affectionately William Napier
Goodnight or rather Good morning, past three o'Clock & a frosty morning
and I most sleepy adieu once more My dearest Girl
To Miss Hamilton
Northamptonshire
10th-
John Free Sawbridge
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 William Napier (later 7th Lord Napier) to Mary Hamilton
Shelfmark: HAM/1/19/26
Correspondence Details
Sender: William Napier, 7th Lord
Place sent: Canterbury
Addressee: Mary Hamilton
Place received: Northamptonshire
Date sent: 28 December 1772
Letter Description
Summary: Letter from William Napier [later 7th Lord Napier] to Mary Hamilton, with
general news of friends and acquaintances. He notes that he has been writing
since 10 o'clock on business and that it is now 2 o'clock in the morning and
he is writing to her to show Hamilton that his ‘greatest happiness and
pleasure is to obey you in everything in my power’. He asks Hamilton to
consider what she says when she notes that she has little time to spare as
she writes her mother's letters for her. Napier writes that he has to write
most days and nights on regimental and family business and is seldom in bed
at this hour. He hopes she finds time to write to her Uncle Cathcart and if
she does not then as ‘my daughter & ward, I order you to do it’. He
knows that she is to thoughtful as to disobey him but he also knows that she
has more ‘command’ over him than he does of her.
On a question of family news that Hamilton has asked him Napier replies that
he has heard nothing of Hamilton's cousin Miss Cathcart being a Maid of
Honour and does not believe it. Although Jean [her aunt Jean Cathcart] has
assured her if he hears anything he will let her know.
Dated at Canterbury.
Length: 3 sheets, 1405 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 9 December 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