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^[1]
7

21 August 1779

Ah my friend you little imagine what a terrible
black list I am going to produce -- it may sound
harsh, but as I am detiremin'd to have my conscience perfectly free & never to deceive
you I must say you have lower'd yourself in my
esteem -- if you think it worth while to repair the
fault you have committed -- keep to yourself what
I am going to say for if you do not I will not take
upon me to answer for yê. consequence, after this
preface -- I desire you will recollect what you said
& w^th. whom you convers'd (particularly yê. Eve^g. of yo^r.
B.D.) -- I have warn'd you not to trifle w^th. my feelings,
-- I have more sensibility than vanity, & believe me
the latter never will receive any gratifications at
the expence of yê former; I need not explain this
further, you have penetration enough to find out what
I mean -- the only favor I request is, & w^ch. I do very
earnestly -- that you will not reproach your confidant with
want of secrecy -- I acknowledge I shall have no ambition
to be rank'd among yê. number of yo^r. friends if they are

all of the same claʃs -- yet again my friendship must
remind you -- you will suffer more than you are at
present aware on, if every insignificant character
is to be deem'd worthy of your confidence.
among the other reprehensible things in your conduct,
& w^ch. I mark'd down in my memory -- is the indelicate
ungentlemanlike & wicked practice you have thought
proper to adopt of Swearing -- think what a pleasant
circumstance it was for me. the morn^g. of yê. Review
to hear a man (who stood near yê carriage I was in)
saying to another -- “what was yê. P in such a paʃsion about?”
-- “in a paʃsion repeated yê. other” -- why Yes replied he
“for just now when he came riding up aloneto yê. attendant he
“said damn the fellow -- yê. Devil take him --
“where is the Devil gone” &c. &c. &c.” after this
remarks were made upon such language having
been made use of by you. I declare to you I
c^ld. have wept with vexation & that vexation was
added to by your trifling conversation with L^d: Lothian
&c -- the expletives -- upon my word -- & upon my honor
a Man of real honor never w^d ventures to make use of

unleʃs to a truth -- they never ought to be used
as “words of Course in common conversation” this
was your excuse to me. I w^d. recommend you
to read a paper in the Connoiʃseur upon this
Subject -- I have not the book but I recollect
that I was pleas'd^[2]
I have such a detestation of any thing relative even
in yê. most trivial occurences ofto deceit -- that I
must tell you You say vanity it even extends to
yê piece of Myrtle that was taken & thrown away
immediately after. --
Adieu you have paid me a number of fine Compli-
ments. I ^[3] cannot say I can pay yô. any upon your judgment & taste
respecting Beauty -- y^t. how ever is of little consequence -- as to yê. other perfections yô. fancy I
poʃseʃs I s^hld. be well pleas'd to find y^m. out, or be able to attain y^m- farewel I have
acted honestly by yô.. I have told yô. truths, yê. conversation of y^r. fencing
Master may be more pleasing to yo^r. taste -- he will boast of yo^r. condescension
&c but I shall feel that I act as a real friend^[4] ought.
have acted more honestly by you -- I
have told you truths. the conversation of your
Fencing Master may be more pleasing to your taste
he will boast of your condescension &c. but I
shall feel that I act as a real friend ought
farewel.

before I close my Letter permit me to add a few lines more & pardon
me if I have already trespaʃs'd too long upon yo^r. patience. If I c^ld.
poʃsibly foresee that yê. attachment yô. at present paint in such strong
terms w^ld. be more than transient -- or w^d. hereafter influence any of yo^r.
actions -- I declare in yê. most solemn manner -- I w^ld. take a step (w^ch. though
I was certain w^d. embitter all my future happineʃs in this world[)]

w^ch. w^d. effectually put a bar between us -- I never will betray
yôr. confidence to a human being & I never will be the cause of
Your acting improperly. I have somewhere read -- “greater
“Virtues are neceʃsary to preserve ones friends than to
acquire them”. & again “let us have a care above all things,
“y^t. our kindneʃs be rightfully founded, for where there is any
“other invitation to friendship than yê. friendship itself y^t. friendship
will be bought & sold. he derogates from yê. dignity of it y^t. makes
it only dependent upon apreciable circumstances”.^[5] I do not
know if my memory has been faithful in yê. above quotations
but yê. sense will serve to explain my sentiments.
One quotation more & I have doneconclude
Some positive persisting fops we know,
Who if once wrong, will needs be always so;
But you with pleasure own y^r. errors past
And make each day a critique on yê. last.
^[6]
Those best can bear reproof who merit praise
My friend Adieu^[7]

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Notes

1. An edited version of much of this letter appears in Anson & Anson (1925: 80-81).
2. This could refer to the periodical The Connoisseur edited by Colman and Thornton, which ran 1754-1756. It was usual for periodical runs to be collected in volumes. Hamilton was perhaps thinking of no. 108 (19 February 1756), collected in The Connoisseur IV, pp.26-31.
3. After I, Hamilton has struck out the remainder of this line and the next five. In between the cancelled lines she has added some new material before rewriting what was there before. The whole replacement passage is therefore presented en bloc, followed by the whole of the cancelled passage, as this is not a series of line-by-line changes.
4. Hamilton surely intended the word real to be emphasised, as in ‘your real, true & affectionate fr^d-’ (GEO/ADD/3/83/12); it makes no sense to emphasise the word a.
5. Hamilton is apparently recalling some edition of L'Estrange's translation of Seneca, only substituting dignity for Majesty (perhaps deliberately), and apreciable circumstances for Good Fortune.
6. Hamilton writes a dashed line to indicate that she has omitted nearly two stanzas here.
7. A rectangular strip appears to have been deliberately cut away at the right edge, allowing a word to show through from p.2 folded below.

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GEO/ADD/3/83/7

Letter from Mary Hamilton to George, Prince of Wales

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