Single Letter

HAM/1/19/34

Letter from William Napier (later 7th Lord Napier) to Mary Hamilton

Diplomatic Text

[1]
      15th-
                             Canterbury Feby 23d 1773
I Received My dearest Marys letter of the 19th-
instant last post with one from Mr Hope inclosed
but whither my time will permit me to anʃwer
his at present or not I am not ʃure as he
must give way to you in my writing but I
shall do every thing to anʃwer both -- You deʃire
particularly to know how long we stay here
I cannot just anʃwer that question but imagine
but a few days as I have applied to march &
I have good reaʃon to suppose that I'll be indulged
in it as its for the good of the Service, but
as to the franks altho derected here you may
do as follows supposing we go to Maidstone or any
other place. The derection to Col Napier at Canterbury
gone to Maidstone wrote by yourself always
paʃses taking care to just put a stroke only
thro Canterbury leaving it legible as I
have done in the inside of the Frank I
send this in to shew you the method, they
have always gone safe & free & I have much
experience of it as we change quarters so very



often & as you ʃay you have an oppertunity to
get franks get a dozen derected for yrself
as I have but three left after this one nor do
I know where to get any at present no
Member being in this Country nor likely to be
for ʃome months -- Never My dearest Girl be
at the trouble to ma---ke any apology to me for
not writing me immediately when receiving
mine I am always happy to hear from you
but only when it ʃuits your own conveniency
force meat is disagreeable & I am now quite
convinced of your Friendʃhip & I am ʃure you'll
write me when you can, I own the oftner
the better as nothing makes me so happy
as your letters does as you are my most valu=
=able
Correspondant & the only one I speak
my real ʃentiments too for many reaʃons.
My Ague complaints are all gone thank God &
I am as well as I expect to be till I have a few
weeks of Buxton this ʃummer which I am
in hopes with care will make me a new
Man again. equall mine WX[2] My Father by the last Account is much



better & I hope by to nights post to hear he is
quite out of danger. Mrs Napier know very
well the great Love, regard, & Friendʃhip, I have
for My dearest Girl & believe me she is not
wanting in all the three to you either but
I wont give up to her so far as to ʃay that
hers equals mine, she does not know my
dear Ward
half so well as her Guardian o=
therwise
I make no doubt but she would
almost equall mine X but its impoʃsible to come
up to that by any woman that ever existed to
another of the ʃame Sex. Whither the Regiment
comes to Northampton or not I shall be there
& will stay ʃome days to you in my way to
Buxton to which place I am in hopes to
perswaded Mrs Hamilton to go for a few
weeks as I think it would do her good
and I am ʃure it would for you, as to be
quite shut up in Northampton is not the
thing for an accomplished young Lady, but
I shall say nothing more on the ʃubject 'till
we meet & then we can talk all those things



over at our leiʃure, and had the Regiment
been to be quartered with you I should have
been from it, however its not as yet settled
where we are to go tho in my opinion we'll
go to Eʃsex & Suffolk but we will ʃoon now
know exactly as I expect every day the
orders for the Armys years quarters wh-
is always given out abt this time. It gives
me real pleaʃure to find My dearest Mary agrees
with me about attachments especially at first
sight, which sanguine people are more apt
to be effected with, than those of a leʃs sanguine
disposition & if I am not greatly mistaken My
Dearest Girl
has a good deal of the first which
shews a good heart tho oftner happens to be
imposed upon by cunning deʃigning people
at first but a little acquaintance with them
shew them without disguise which gives a little
uneaʃineʃs at first to an honest heart but
good ʃenʃe at last gets the better & things
return to there first channel again with
a reʃolution to be more carefull for ye future.



You have most certainly My dear Mary laid
down a very right plan in paʃsing thro
life Viz to find no fault, to depriccate[3] no
body, and to be carefull what we ʃay & by doing
that, we have the chance to create fewer enemy's
(for an Angell from Heaven will have ʃome in
this World) & are more able to see the folly
of other people which we ought always to
observe on purpose to correct any of our
own foibles as none in this age is without &
happy are they that has the fewest, You
deʃire to know whither we ought not to beware
of the conceited people whither they affected the
Hble- or supercilious stile I say certainly and
likeways to be on our guard against every
person till we know them well, affability,
politeneʃs, & good nature to every body may
most certainly be carried on, without enter=
=ing
into any friendʃhip or Attachment what
soever but when throughly known our own
sense must be our guide how far we ought



to enter into connexions which may makes us
miserable for Life & in my opinion we ought
to enter into none with either Sex without
mature deliberation stating to ourselves
the good & bad consequences that may happen
by indulging ʃuch & such attachments, thus
My dearest Ward have I told you my opinion
sincerely in what you deʃired & shall be very
happy to find you agree with me as it
certainly will strengthen my opinion to myself
greatly -- Mr Hope may imagine he is a
more punctual Correspondant than you
if he pleaʃes but I must aʃsure you he
never will be so favored a one by me
pray My dear Girl barr the door when you
write next & keep out your Miʃses[4] they
are hatefull animals all the World over
but more so at Northampton to me, when
they deprive me of having a long letter
from my favorite Girl -- I have left my=
=ʃelf
little or no time to dreʃs for dinner



but if I have any time between this & the
post going out I must just write a few
lines to Jack Hope Adieu My dearest Mary
remember me to Mrs Hamilton & believe
me unchangeable My dearest wards most
affectionately hers

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


Notes


 1. Short edited extracts from this letter, introduced by an invented ‘As to Friendships’ to bridge the transition from a passage on marriage taken from HAM/1/19/33, are loosely quoted in Anson & Anson (1925: 22). Of the five or so passages marked by marginal lines – and once by crosses at start and finish – only parts of the fourth have made it into print.
 2. A mark resembling a U with a short central vertical, plus a cross above the line, apparently draws attention to a passage that continues overleaf, marked by a line in the right margin, and that closes with a cross after ‘almost equals mine’.
 3. This appears to be a misspelling of deprecate misused for depreciate. The Ansons print depreciate.
 4. See the definition ‘Frequently used contemptuously [...] with implication of silliness or sentimentality’ (OED s.v. miss n. 2, 4a), and Napier's condemnation of them as ‘one of the greatest plagues God almighty sends on the earth’ (HAM/1/19/33 p.2).

Normalised Text


     
                             Canterbury February 23d 1773
I Received My dearest Marys letter of the 19th-
instant last post with one from Mr Hope enclosed
but whether my time will permit me to answer
his at present or not I am not sure as he
must give way to you in my writing but I
shall do every thing to answer both -- You desire
particularly to know how long we stay here
I cannot just answer that question but imagine
but a few days as I have applied to march &
I have good reason to suppose that I'll be indulged
in it as it's for the good of the Service, but
as to the franks although directed here you may
do as follows supposing we go to Maidstone or any
other place. The direction to Colonel Napier
gone to Maidstone written by yourself always
passes taking care to just put a stroke only
through Canterbury leaving it legible as I
have done in the inside of the Frank I
send this in to show you the method, they
have always gone safe & free & I have much
experience of it as we change quarters so very



often & as you say you have an opportunity to
get franks get a dozen directed for yourself
as I have but three left after this one nor do
I know where to get any at present no
Member being in this Country nor likely to be
for some months -- Never My dearest Girl be
at the trouble to make any apology to me for
not writing me immediately when receiving
mine I am always happy to hear from you
but only when it suits your own conveniency
force-meat is disagreeable & I am now quite
convinced of your Friendship & I am sure you'll
write me when you can, I own the oftener
the better as nothing makes me so happy
as your letters does as you are my most valuable
Correspondent & the only one I speak
my real sentiments to for many reasons.
My Ague complaints are all gone thank God &
I am as well as I expect to be till I have a few
weeks of Buxton this summer which I am
in hopes with care will make me a new
Man again. equal mine My Father by the last Account is much



better & I hope by to nights post to hear he is
quite out of danger. Mrs Napier know very
well the great Love, regard, & Friendship, I have
for My dearest Girl & believe me she is not
wanting in all the three to you either but
I won't give up to her so far as to say that
hers equals mine, she does not know my
dear Ward half so well as her Guardian otherwise
I make no doubt but she would
almost equal mine but it's impossible to come
up to that by any woman that ever existed to
another of the same Sex. Whether the Regiment
comes to Northampton or not I shall be there
& will stay some days to you in my way to
Buxton to which place I am in hopes to
persuaded Mrs Hamilton to go for a few
weeks as I think it would do her good
and I am sure it would for you, as to be
quite shut up in Northampton is not the
thing for an accomplished young Lady, but
I shall say nothing more on the subject till
we meet & then we can talk all those things



over at our leisure, and had the Regiment
been to be quartered with you I should have
been from it, however it's not as yet settled
where we are to go though in my opinion we'll
go to Essex & Suffolk but we will soon now
know exactly as I expect every day the
orders for the Armys years quarters which
is always given out about this time. It gives
me real pleasure to find My dearest Mary agrees
with me about attachments especially at first
sight, which sanguine people are more apt
to be affected with, than those of a less sanguine
disposition & if I am not greatly mistaken My
Dearest Girl has a good deal of the first which
shows a good heart though oftener happens to be
imposed upon by cunning designing people
at first but a little acquaintance with them
show them without disguise which gives a little
uneasiness at first to an honest heart but
good sense at last gets the better & things
return to their first channel again with
a resolution to be more careful for the future.



You have most certainly My dear Mary laid
down a very right plan in passing through
life Viz to find no fault, to deprecate no
body, and to be careful what we say & by doing
that, we have the chance to create fewer enemy's
(for an Angel from Heaven will have some in
this World) & are more able to see the folly
of other people which we ought always to
observe on purpose to correct any of our
own foibles as none in this age is without &
happy are they that has the fewest, You
desire to know whether we ought not to beware
of the conceited people whether they affected the
Honourable or supercilious style I say certainly and
likeways to be on our guard against every
person till we know them well, affability,
politeness, & good nature to every body may
most certainly be carried on, without entering
into any friendship or Attachment what
soever but when thoroughly known our own
sense must be our guide how far we ought



to enter into connexions which may makes us
miserable for Life & in my opinion we ought
to enter into none with either Sex without
mature deliberation stating to ourselves
the good & bad consequences that may happen
by indulging such & such attachments, thus
My dearest Ward have I told you my opinion
sincerely in what you desired & shall be very
happy to find you agree with me as it
certainly will strengthen my opinion to myself
greatly -- Mr Hope may imagine he is a
more punctual Correspondent than you
if he pleases but I must assure you he
never will be so favoured a one by me
pray My dear Girl bar the door when you
write next & keep out your Misses they
are hateful animals all the World over
but more so at Northampton to me, when
they deprive me of having a long letter
from my favourite Girl -- I have left myself
little or no time to dress for dinner



but if I have any time between this & the
post going out I must just write a few
lines to Jack Hope Adieu My dearest Mary
remember me to Mrs Hamilton & believe
me unchangeable My dearest wards most
affectionately hers

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



 1. Short edited extracts from this letter, introduced by an invented ‘As to Friendships’ to bridge the transition from a passage on marriage taken from HAM/1/19/33, are loosely quoted in Anson & Anson (1925: 22). Of the five or so passages marked by marginal lines – and once by crosses at start and finish – only parts of the fourth have made it into print.
 2. A mark resembling a U with a short central vertical, plus a cross above the line, apparently draws attention to a passage that continues overleaf, marked by a line in the right margin, and that closes with a cross after ‘almost equals mine’.
 3. This appears to be a misspelling of deprecate misused for depreciate. The Ansons print depreciate.
 4. See the definition ‘Frequently used contemptuously [...] with implication of silliness or sentimentality’ (OED s.v. miss n. 2, 4a), and Napier's condemnation of them as ‘one of the greatest plagues God almighty sends on the earth’ (HAM/1/19/33 p.2).

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/1/19/34

Correspondence Details

Sender: William Napier, 7th Lord

Place sent: Canterbury

Addressee: Mary Hamilton

Place received: Northampton (certainty: low)

Date sent: 23 February 1773

Letter Description

Summary: Letter from William Napier [later 7th Lord Napier] to Mary Hamilton. He writes of general news and of his pleasure at receiving letters from Hamilton. He has received a letter noting that his father's health has improved and he is in hopes of hearing shortly that he is out of danger. Napier writes of his regiment and that he does not know if they are to go to Northampton or not but either way he will visit himself and spend a few days there on his way to Buxton. He resumes discussion of trustingness and the dangers of forming too-hasty attachments. He hopes to find time to answer the letter of John Hope's that Hamilton had enclosed.
    Dated at Canterbury.
   

Length: 2 sheets, 1163 words

Transliteration Information

Editorial declaration: First edited in the project 'Image to Text' (David Denison & Nuria Yáñez-Bouza, 2013-2019), now incorporated 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: Research Assistant funding in 2018/19 provided by the Department of Linguistics and English Language, University of Manchester.

Research assistant: Chenming Gao, undergraduate student, University of Manchester

Transliterator: Mariana Sancho Moncasi, undergraduate student, University of Manchester (submitted June 2019)

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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