Diplomatic Text
[1]
1
Sunday Evening
7th March 1773
7th March 1773
Your very kind Letter, my dear Miʃs Hamilton,
will occasion you more trouble than you ------ were
aware on. -- You will have to go thro' a very
long Letter, which I now propoʃe to write to you;
but as your complaints are not in your Eyes,
I hope the fatigue will not be too much for
you. -- I am apt to pay too little Regard to the
Complaints of young people as being but temporary; but I ʃincerely
wiʃh your's may be of the ʃhortest duration. --
I have mended my Pen, to go on with; which
ʃerves like a Hem,[2] or a Cough, or the blowing the
Nose, by way of a pause, in Converʃation. -- It gives
one time to think, & put one's Words in order. -- This
is intended by to be a vindication of my Conduct, &
I don't know how to begin; -- that looks as if I was
about to plead in a very bad Cause. -- I confeʃs it. -- I
don't know how to vindicate myʃelf, without making
a very long Story. -- I muʃt begin with the Date
of my marriage; -- which appear'd to be the commence=
=ment of my happineʃs, but which afterwards proved
to be the origin of my misfortunes. -- I was then in
pretty good busineʃs, & could have gone on very com=
=fortably, if I had confided in Poʃseʃsion alone, & not
2
trusted to Hopes & Expectations. -- Mrs: Hope's
father had often declared, in her preference before
marriage, that ʃhe ʃhould have a fortune of
£5. or 6000. and we expected to receive it, in case
of a hearty Reconcilliation. An old Aunt of her's,
(Coheireʃs with her Mother,) had often aʃsured her
ʃhe would leave her £10,000. -- and my father
had given me reaʃon to expect, (by Articles he
himself made with the Gentleman I enter'd into
partnerʃhip with, in Trade, when I was but
Twenty,) that my Patrimony --- would, at
a certain term of years, be doubled. -- With all
theʃe proʃpects in View, & the numerous acquaint=
=ance we had, it was natural for young people
to live in a ʃtile of Life far beyond their Income.
mean while, the old Aunt died without having
made a Will; -- The expected Reconciliation never took
Place, and my dear Companion could wait for
it no longer. -- I'll ʃend you with This two
the Copies of two Letters ʃhe wrote her --- [3]
Parents on that Subject, which ʃhe certainly
kept for my future juʃtification; and which I
now preʃerve for the Satisfaction of my
Children, leʃt they may hereafter be told, that
their mother's Death was occaʃion'd by a conʃtitutional
3
Disorder; whereas, theʃe Letters ʃhew that the
Cause proceeded from - the conʃtant operation of
real Sorrow; andfor when ʃhe wrote these Copies contrary to her custom
ʃhe muʃt certainly have had her End in meditation. --
Since we could not paʃs this melancholy Sub=
=ject unnoticed, & I have been obliged to apply
to my Papers concerning It, I will ʃend you the whole --- =
--- Collection. -- The mentioning of it, now, only
adds a little to my ʃerious Reflection; which is not
far from being painful, when I consider that
the peruʃal of mthe affecting narration may afford
Inʃtruction to ana young & unexperienced Friend. --
You'll find, among theʃe Papers, a Letter of
my dear friend's from Bath, and her laʃt one
from Brockhall in this County, two days before
her Death; -- both preʃerv'd, to prove the
Copies of her Letters to her Parents to be
her own handwriting; -- you'll next find a
Letter from me, with an Account of the Cause
of her Death; written to a Clergyman in Holland,
& which I deʃired he might return to me; to
contribute towards the future ʃatisfaction
of my Children; -- and you'll alʃo read a Letter
from our moʃt intimate Friend Mr: Bayne,
4
(a moʃt worthy young man, now in the E:
Indies,) which he was ʃo kind as to write to
me in Scotland, to reconcile me to myself after
her Death; -- of which I could not help conʃidering
myself as the unfortunate CauserAuthor -- Peace to her
good Soul! for I have not forgot it yet; tho'
often I have attempted it in the Arms of Beauty,
and as often wiʃh'd my Mary's Mind was
there. -- And thence, my dear Miʃs Hamil=
=ton, ʃprung another cause of my Misfortunes.
In the Winter after my Loʃs, & on my Return to
London, my Companions, perceiving my melancholy
but little diminiʃh'd, imagined, the Amusements &
Diʃsipation of the Town, would be moʃt conducive
to banish my Sorrow. -- They accordingly ------
plunged me headlong into them; & my friend,
who wrote the inclosed Letter, was the firʃt to
ʃhew me the way. -- I found the wish'd-for Relief.
What my ʃmall ʃhare of Religion & Philosophy
could not effect, was operated by Diʃsipation; & a
conʃtant repetition of ʃuch a palatable & palli=
=ative Medicine, by degrees perform'd a Cure; --
ʃo far at leaʃt, as to prevent my Mind from
dwelling
5
dwelling on the Recollection of happier
Days; -- for ʃtill they will occur to my Memory,
when I am left without attachment to ʃome
female friend. -- I conʃider I am writing to
a woman of understanding, who has read of the
World, though ʃhe has ʃ yet ʃeen little of
it; or I would not thus hazard her good
opinion by a confeʃsion of my Sins. -- Mrs:
Hamilton, too, muʃt be indulgent to my weakneʃs,
& consider me leʃs as an impoʃtor than a fool; -- and
indeed my whole Life has been folly - & extra=
=vagance; &, on reflecting on it, this narration
ought rather to be term'd, an Account of the
Cauʃes of my failing in Life, than a Juʃtifica=
=tion of my Conduct. -- My Relations, how=
=ever, have aʃsiʃted in handing me down a few
Steps of the Ladder, 'till, with my feet, I have reach'd
the Ground. -- But that part of the Subject
I ʃhall ʃleep on to-night. -- I'll only add a ʃhort
application to the above part of my Tale: --
It teaches us, that there is no ʃolid Conʃolation
under the Afflictions of this Life, but in a virtuous
LifeConduct ------ & a constant resignation to the divine Will. --
6.
Monday morng.
I might have ʃpared myself the Moral
at the bottom of the laʃt Page, for on reading
over again my dear Miʃs H:'s Letter, I find
I have ʃtolen the Reflection from her.
But I confounded my head ʃo much with
reading all day, that it was no wonder my
invention, ------------ Evening[4] was not very
bright in the Evening. -- To proceed with my Story. --
My Relations, rather than let the County
of Linlithgow go out of the Family, got me
elected to repreʃent it. -- But there was a
Petition preʃented to the House of Commons
againʃt the Legality of my Election; and
in consequence of That I had to keep a Carriage, for two Winters,
to drive about in, to viʃit the great people
& to ʃolicit Votes; and I had to thruʃt myself
as much as poʃsible into company, & to
ʃ - l give Entertainments; -- for all which I
was allow'd by my Relations bybut £200. pr: Ann:
I was thus led into expenʃive Connexions
that I could not afterwards ʃo ʃpeedily get
rid of, without having been allow'd a properany other com=
7
=penʃation, by my friends, than as above named;
but who, on the contrary, have deserted me, because
I would not give my Vote in the House of Commons
agreeable with their ʃelfish Views. ------------------
That is really the Case; for motives of public
benefit, they can have none, for deserting me; -- on the
contrary, I have a Letter from Lord Hope (written
at the time when the preʃent minister was not expected to
ʃtand,) expreʃsing, in the warmeʃt manner, his
approbation of my voting according to Conʃcience
during the time I ʃat in Parliament, was it
but for two months. -- Here you ʃee my private
Reaʃon for publiʃhing the political Letters
I ʃhew'd you. -- When a man talks much about
himself, it is either from Vanity, or a conʃcious=
=neʃs that his Conduct ʃtands in need of Justifi=
=cation: -- I foreʃaw my Affairs would one day
come to this Criʃis; & I was willing, therefore,
to bespeak the pity of the Public, (if I could
not procure their forgiveneʃs,) for my Follies. -- But
I made no comment on my Letters; I was
unwilling needleʃsly to expoʃe my Relations; --
if I had acted vindictively & offenʃively, inʃtead
8
of being upon the Defenʃive, I ʃhould have
added Lord Hope's Letter to my Publication,
which, without ʃerving myself, would have injured
perhaps have materially injured him. -- His
aim is, to get a British Peerage; &, to obtain
That, his father & Him muʃt prove their
ʃincerity of their Attachment to the Court,
by abandoning me & ʃhewing a lasting & public Reʃent=
=ment & public Disapprobation of my political Conduct.
I ʃhallI am thus become a Victim - to Ambition. --
But they will never gain their Ends. I know
too well in what Light our Family is looked
upon at Court, to expect they'll be ʃhewn any
favour. -- I have told them ʃo, formerly; but they
thought me a young Politician, & would not
believe me. -- You are younger ʃtill; but you
may gain more credit; you have a Vote in
the County belonging to your family; -- Suppoʃe
you were to write a Letter to Lord Hope,
to the following purport; -- it might have ʃome
effect in my favour, & could not poʃsibly be ill
taken; -- if they were before unacquainted with the
Circumʃtance, it may open their Eyes as to the
Intereʃt
9
Intereʃt, they may ʃuppoʃe, tothey have with
his Majesty's favourite; -- if in This I ask any
thing improper for a young Lady to grant, Mrs: Hamilton
will be able to judge, & will forgive me
the Liberty I have taken; ʃince I was
deʃired to point out in what you could
be of use to Me. -- Now, for the proposed Letter: --
“My Lord, -- My mother & I having
“ʃent to your Couʃin Mr: Hope, who is now
“confined here for Debt, to know in what
“we could ʃerve him; he returned me, in
“Anʃwer, his Requeʃt, that I would write
“your Lordship the following Anecdote, which
“he thought might poʃsibly be of use in removing
“one cause of the displeaʃure of his Relations,
“arising tofrom the part he took in parliament
“contrary in oppoʃition to their political
“friends. -- At the time of Mr: Hope
“Weir's laʃt Election for the County of
“Linlithgow, Several People in ye Court interest came
“to my father,[5] with an expreʃs requeʃt, from
“Lord Bute, that if he would not vote
“for Sir Willm: Cuningham, he would be
[1]0
“neuter, & would not give his Vote for Mr: Hope --
“Forgive, My Lord, the Liberty I have
“taken, with the ʃole view of ʃerving a friend
“in need,” &ca: &ca: &c: --
I have given you the matter only, my dear
Miʃs Hamilton, & you will expreʃs it in
your own Words. --
I gave you, in my laʃt, a poetical
Description of my Confinement; but, I
can aʃsure you, it is far from Distreʃs. -- I am
very well lodged; and have a fine pleaʃant
Bowling Green, to walk on as much as I
pleaʃe. -- I am lodged at the Bowling Green
Houʃe, oppoʃite the old Castle Walls. -- Pray ʃend,
to Mr: Wye's, your own choice of a French, a
Dutch, & an Italian Book; & he will forward
them hence. -- The Lines, I ʃent you,
Mrs: Dicey inʃiʃted on printing; & they will
be deʃtributed among Acquaintances to-night.
I can not find all the Papers I wanted
to ʃend you; -- as they are not in my Portefeuille,
I must have left them looʃe in my Bureau at
Mr: Wye's; -- you ʃhall have them at another
time (thoʃe that are wanting; -- ) mean while
I
11
▼
I have ʃupplied their Place with others, that
will give equal Illucidation[6], as to the circumʃtances
of my dear friend's Death, & the ʃocial man=
=ner in which we liv'd together. -- Indeed, my
dear Miʃs Hamilton, who ever ventures upon
me again for Life, muʃt resemble her in cha=
=racter, or I ʃhall ne'er be happy. -- Forgive
me touching on that String again, (I ʃometim[es]
cannot help it; -- ) it made every Nerve of me
thrill again this morning, or you would have
receiv'd this Letter before Dinner. -- I made
a Pauʃe, & took a ʃolitary Walk in the
Bowling Green, to drive away the Reflections
occaʃion'd by the opening these Papers. -- Mrs: Dicey
found me there, & prevented me proceeding
in the morning. -- After Dinner, I recollected
it was Aʃsembly Night, & I reʃolved not to
ʃadden the Mirth of the Evening. -- It next
ʃtruck me, that my melancholy Tale might
haunt your Dreams & disturb your Reʃt; which
prevents me from sending it 'till to morrow
morning. -- As it my Will is, These ʃheets ʃhould
be preʃerved, -- I date, ʃign, & direct itthem in due form.
Dear Miʃs Hamilton -- Your obliged
& affecte: friend
John Hope
Northampton --
Monday 8th- March 1773[7]
Docr: Bleneve was with me all this Evening, & I am
pleased to find him gain upon me as we are more acquainted. -- [8]
This Paper to be preserved and
return'd to the Author, if demanded
by him.
Mary Hamilton
(hover over blue text or annotations for clarification;
red text is normalised and/or unformatted in other panel)
red text is normalised and/or unformatted in other panel)
Notes
1. The John Hope material of subseries HAM/1/6/8 has been arranged in this edition in approximate chronological order, starting not with this letter but rather HAM/1/6/8/10.
2. ‘An interjectional utterance like a slight half cough, used to attract attention, give warning, or express doubt or hesitation. Also used to represent the slight clearing of the throat of a hesitating or non-plussed speaker’ (OED s.v. hem int. and n. 2. Accessed 08-06-2020).
3. Possibly ‘fa’ for ‘father’.
4. Possibly ‘since the Evening’.
5. Hope seems to have inadvertently reverted to ‘my father’ rather than writing in character as Hamilton.
6. A very rare noun, only recorded in OED in a 1658 dictionary, derived from the rare verb illucidate, apparently barely different in meaning from the normal elucidate, elucidation (OED s.v. illucidate v. Accessed 04-02-2022).
7. This dateline appears to the left of the signature. There is a curly bracket to its immediate right.
8. Moved postscript here from left-hand side of the page, written vertically.
Normalised Text
Sunday Evening
7th March 1773
7th March 1773
Your very kind Letter, my dear Miss Hamilton,
will occasion you more trouble than you were
aware on. -- You will have to go through a very
long Letter, which I now propose to write to you;
but as your complaints are not in your Eyes,
I hope the fatigue will not be too much for
you. -- I am apt to pay too little Regard to the
Complaints of young people as being but temporary; but I sincerely
wish your's may be of the shortest duration. --
I have mended my Pen, to go on with; which
serves like a Hem, or a Cough, or the blowing the
Nose, by way of a pause, in Conversation. -- It gives
one time to think, & put one's Words in order. -- This
is intended to be a vindication of my Conduct, &
I don't know how to begin; -- that looks as if I was
about to plead in a very bad Cause. -- I confess it. -- I
don't know how to vindicate myself, without making
a very long Story. -- I must begin with the Date
of my marriage; -- which appeared to be the commencement
of my happiness, but which afterwards proved
to be the origin of my misfortunes. -- I was then in
pretty good business, & could have gone on very comfortably
, if I had confided in Possession alone, & not
trusted to Hopes & Expectations. -- Mrs: Hope's
father had often declared, in her preference before
marriage, that she should have a fortune of
£5. or 6000. and we expected to receive it, in case
of a hearty Reconciliation. An old Aunt of her's,
(Coheiress with her Mother,) had often assured her
she would leave her £10,000. -- and my father
had given me reason to expect, (by Articles he
himself made with the Gentleman I entered into
partnership with, in Trade, when I was but
Twenty,) that my Patrimony would, at
a certain term of years, be doubled. -- With all
these prospects in View, & the numerous acquaintance
we had, it was natural for young people
to live in a style of Life far beyond their Income.
mean while, the old Aunt died without having
made a Will; -- The expected Reconciliation never took
Place, and my dear Companion could wait for
it no longer. -- I'll send you with This
the Copies of two Letters she wrote her
Parents on that Subject, which she certainly
kept for my future justification; and which I
now preserve for the Satisfaction of my
Children, lest they may hereafter be told, that
their mother's Death was occasioned by a constitutional
Disorder; whereas, these Letters show that the
Cause proceeded from the constant operation of
real Sorrow; for when she wrote these Copies contrary to her custom
she must certainly have had her End in meditation. --
Since we could not pass this melancholy Subject
unnoticed, & I have been obliged to apply
to my Papers concerning It, I will send you the whole ------
Collection. -- The mentioning of it, now, only
adds a little to my serious Reflection; which is
far from being painful, when I consider that
the perusal of the affecting narration may afford
Instruction to a young & unexperienced Friend. --
You'll find, among these Papers, a Letter of
my dear friend's from Bath, and her last one
from Brockhall in this County, two days before
her Death; -- both preserved, to prove the
Copies of her Letters to her Parents to be
her own handwriting; -- you'll next find a
Letter from me, with an Account of the Cause
of her Death; written to a Clergyman in Holland,
& which I desired he might return to me; to
contribute towards the future satisfaction
of my Children; -- and you'll also read a Letter
from our most intimate Friend Mr: Bayne,
(a most worthy young man, now in the East
Indies,) which he was so kind as to write to
me in Scotland, to reconcile me to myself after
her Death; -- of which I could not help considering
myself as the unfortunate Author -- Peace to her
good Soul! for I have not forgotten it yet; though
often I have attempted it in the Arms of Beauty,
and as often wished my Mary's Mind was
there. -- And thence, my dear Miss Hamilton
, sprang another cause of my Misfortunes.
In the Winter after my Loss, & on my Return to
London, my Companions, perceiving my melancholy
but little diminished, imagined, the Amusements &
Dissipation of the Town, would be most conducive
to banish my Sorrow. -- They accordingly
plunged me headlong into them; & my friend,
who wrote the enclosed Letter, was the first to
show me the way. -- I found the wished-for Relief.
What my small share of Religion & Philosophy
could not effect, was operated by Dissipation; & a
constant repetition of such a palatable & palliative
Medicine, by degrees performed a Cure; --
so far at least, as to prevent my Mind from
dwelling on the Recollection of happier
Days; -- for still they will occur to my Memory,
when I am left without attachment to some
female friend. -- I consider I am writing to
a woman of understanding, who has read of the
World, though she has yet seen little of
it; or I would not thus hazard her good
opinion by a confession of my Sins. -- Mrs:
Hamilton, too, must be indulgent to my weakness,
& consider me less as an impostor than a fool; --
indeed my whole Life has been folly & extravagance
; &, on reflecting on it, this narration
ought rather to be termed, an Account of the
Causes of my failing in Life, than a Justification
of my Conduct. -- My Relations, however
, have assisted in handing me down a few
Steps of the Ladder, till, with my feet, I have reached
the Ground. -- But that part of the Subject
I shall sleep on to-night. -- I'll only add a short
application to the above part of my Tale: --
It teaches us, that there is no solid Consolation
under the Afflictions of this Life, but in a virtuous
Conduct & a constant resignation to the divine Will. --
Monday morning
I might have spared myself the Moral
at the bottom of the last Page, for on reading
over again my dear Miss Hamilton's Letter, I find
I have stolen the Reflection from her.
But I confounded my head so much with
reading all day, that it was no wonder my
invention, was not very
bright in the Evening. -- To proceed with my Story. --
My Relations, rather than let the County
of Linlithgow go out of the Family, got me
elected to represent it. -- But there was a
Petition presented to the House of Commons
against the Legality of my Election; and
in consequence of That I had to keep a Carriage, for two Winters,
to drive about in, to visit the great people
& to solicit Votes; and I had to thrust myself
as much as possible into company, & to
give Entertainments; -- for all which I
was allowed by my Relations but £200. per Annum
I was thus led into expensive Connexions
that I could not afterwards so speedily get
rid of, without having been allowed any other compensation,
by my friends, than as above named;
but who, on the contrary, have deserted me, because
I would not give my Vote in the House of Commons
agreeable with their selfish Views.
That is really the Case; for motives of public
benefit, they can have none, for deserting me; -- on the
contrary, I have a Letter from Lord Hope (written
at the time when the present minister was not expected to
stand,) expressing, in the warmest manner, his
approbation of my voting according to Conscience
during the time I sat in Parliament, was it
but for two months. -- Here you see my private
Reason for publishing the political Letters
I showed you. -- When a man talks much about
himself, it is either from Vanity, or a consciousness
that his Conduct stands in need of Justification
: -- I foresaw my Affairs would one day
come to this Crisis; & I was willing, therefore,
to bespeak the pity of the Public, (if I could
not procure their forgiveness,) for my Follies. -- But
I made no comment on my Letters; I was
unwilling needlessly to expose my Relations; --
if I had acted vindictively & offensively, instead
of being upon the Defensive, I should have
added Lord Hope's Letter to my Publication,
which, without serving myself, would
perhaps have materially injured him. -- His
aim is, to get a British Peerage; &, to obtain
That, his father & Him must prove the
sincerity of their Attachment to the Court,
by abandoning me & showing a lasting Resentment
& public Disapprobation of my political Conduct.
I am thus become a Victim to Ambition. --
But they will never gain their Ends. I know
too well in what Light our Family is looked
upon at Court, to expect they'll be shown any
favour. -- I have told them so, formerly; but they
thought me a young Politician, & would not
believe me. -- You are younger still; but you
may gain more credit; you have a Vote in
the County belonging to your family; -- Suppose
you were to write a Letter to Lord Hope,
to the following purport; -- it might have some
effect in my favour, & could not possibly be ill
taken; -- if they were before unacquainted with the
Circumstance, it may open their Eyes as to the
Interest, they may suppose, they have with
his Majesty's favourite; -- if in This I ask any
thing improper for a young Lady to grant, Mrs: Hamilton
will be able to judge, & will forgive me
the Liberty I have taken; since I was
desired to point out in what you could
be of use to Me. -- Now, for the proposed Letter: --
“My Lord, -- My mother & I having
“sent to your Cousin Mr: Hope, who is now
“confined here for Debt, to know in what
“we could serve him; he returned me, in
“Answer, his Request, that I would write
“your Lordship the following Anecdote, which
“he thought might possibly be of use in removing
“one cause of the displeasure of his Relations,
“arising from the part he took in parliament
“ in opposition to their political
“friends. -- At the time of Mr: Hope
“Weir's last Election for the County of
“Linlithgow, Several People in the Court interest came
“to my father, with an express request, from
“Lord Bute, that if he would not vote
“for Sir William Cuningham, he would be
“neuter, & would not give his Vote for Mr: Hope --
“Forgive, My Lord, the Liberty I have
“taken, with the sole view of serving a friend
“in need,” &ca: &ca: &c: --
I have given you the matter only, my dear
Miss Hamilton, & you will express it in
your own Words. --
I gave you, in my last, a poetical
Description of my Confinement; but, I
can assure you, it is far from Distress. -- I am
very well lodged; and have a fine pleasant
Bowling Green, to walk on as much as I
please. -- I am lodged at the Bowling Green
House, opposite the old Castle Walls. -- Pray send,
to Mr: Wye's, your own choice of a French, a
Dutch, & an Italian Book; & he will forward
them hence. -- The Lines, I sent you,
Mrs: Dicey insisted on printing; & they will
be distributed among Acquaintances to-night.
I can not find all the Papers I wanted
to send you; -- as they are not in my Portefeuille,
I must have left them loose in my Bureau at
Mr: Wye's; -- you shall have them at another
time (those that are wanting; -- ) mean while
▼
I have supplied their Place with others, that
will give equal Illucidation, as to the circumstances
of my dear friend's Death, & the social manner
in which we lived together. -- Indeed, my
dear Miss Hamilton, who ever ventures upon
me again for Life, must resemble her in character
, or I shall never be happy. -- Forgive
me touching on that String again, (I sometimes
cannot help it; -- ) it made every Nerve of me
thrill this morning, or you would have
received this Letter before Dinner. -- I made
a Pause, & took a solitary Walk in the
Bowling Green, to drive away the Reflections
occasioned by the opening these Papers. -- Mrs: Dicey
found me there, & prevented me proceeding
in the morning. -- After Dinner, I recollected
it was Assembly Night, & I resolved not to
sadden the Mirth of the Evening. -- It next
struck me, that my melancholy Tale might
haunt your Dreams & disturb your Rest; which
prevents me from sending it till to morrow
morning. -- As it my Will is, These sheets should
be preserved, -- I date, sign, & direct them in due form.
Dear Miss Hamilton -- Your obliged
& affectionate friend
John Hope
Northampton --
Monday 8th- March 1773
Docr: Bleneve was with me all this Evening, & I am
pleased to find him gain upon me as we are more acquainted. --
(consult diplomatic text or XML for annotations, deletions, clarifications, persons,
quotations, spellings, uncorrected forms, split words, abbreviations, formatting)
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Notes
Metadata
Library References
Repository: John Rylands Research Institute and Library, University of Manchester
Archive: Mary Hamilton Papers
Item title: Letter from John Hope to Mary Hamilton
Shelfmark: HAM/1/6/8/1
Correspondence Details
Sender: John Hope
Place sent: Northampton (certainty: medium)
Addressee: Mary Hamilton
Place received: Northampton (certainty: medium)
Date sent: 9 March 1773
Letter Description
Summary: Letter from John Hope to Mary Hamilton. This is a long autobiographical letter, which Hope wrote whilst in 'confinement' for debt. He begins with the date of his marriage which he describes as being the commencement of his 'misfortunes'. In the letter Hope asks Hamilton to write a letter of support on his behalf to Lord Hope.
On the back of the sheet Hamilton has written 'This Paper to be preserved and return[e]d to the author, if demanded by him'.
Length: 3 sheets, 2174 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: Lauren O'Connor, undergraduate student, University of Manchester (pp.7-12 of transliteration submitted 6 June 2020)
Transliterator: Anne de Reynier, undergraduate student, University of Manchester (pp.1-6 of transliteration submitted 10 May 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: 6 January 2022