Diplomatic Text
From Willm King
Dover Street 23 July 1781
4
my Dear Miʃs Hamilton
it has given us, very real concern
to hear of Your illneʃs; and tho' Your letter aʃsured me, You
was got well; Yet am anxious to hear You continue so,
for nervous complaints are very bad to get rid of: especialy
this Hot Weather; could say a great deal more, but am
not clear, if You shew letters; some people do, and in that
case I would not enter too deeply in Your case, for fear
I might be suposed a Quack &c &c. . . . . . . . . .
I shall hope for a letter in the course of the next
week directed to me at Weymouth, Dorset. as we set out
for that place next Wednesday, but as invalids, and travell
:ing with our own horses, we intend to make Easy days
and sunday coming in the way shall Stop for that at
Dorchester and visit a friend by which we shall not
arrive at Weymouth till Monday: where we shall most
likely rest a fortnight and then proceed to Yarty[1] in
Devonshire, my Mothers Joynture House, that has been
left to the Sprights and Goblins in which that country
abounds,[2] these thirty Year so ------ a dismal old
Mansion among the Hills -- but notwithstanding, if we
are all well shall paʃs our time agreably as nothing
is more conducive to that than good Humor, which
we intend to take of the party: but will not anticipate
as I intend to send You particulars, and if the Ghosts
were troublesome &c &c..
I have the pleasure to inform You, my Mother is got very
stout again, a proof, She went to Hillingdon to dine
with Lady Elize: Worsley last Thursday; which is 15 mile
off; and the next day, we went to Sir Joseph Banks's,
in Smalbury Green;[3] and believe, we saw the Princeʃs Royal
go to Windsor, I look'd hard to catch a glimpse of
You, but in vain it was too far to see. as she bore the
fatigue of it without any inconvenience flatter myself
the Journey will not be too much. my Sister I fear will
find it a good deal: but as change of Air is very restor
ative we hope it will be of service to her. how clever
it would be, could You make one of the party!
I was not a little surprised to find Mr. Leland had
been to Windsor; and asked if it was not extraordinary?
but was told, not at all, for the officers might ask who
they pleas:d: I own it surprised me but tho' I had Yr
letter said nothing, more, as they seemed so well satisfied
but it seems extraordinary --
I have been out of town for two or three days with Ly.
Banks[4] and spent my time very agreably, one day we
went to Old Windsor, where we went on board the Galatee
Barge, and sail'd down to Isleworth 25 mile: another
d[ay] we went of a fishing party, to a Gentlemans h ---
to [ca]tch Eels, of which a pond was so full we were told that ------
were seen, as large as a Mans Arm : in consequence
of this, we went loaded with fishing tackle, sufficient
to Catch, all the fish in that pond, and the next:
but, as those parties always turn out croʃs, the morning
proved whet, and tho' the Evening was fine the fish
would not bite; when, the Gentlemen out of patience,
flung in the net, and dragged: but met with the usual
fate, nothing but weeds! and not a fish to speak of.
for my part, I was very well entertained, and not mortified
about the disapointment, as I am no fisher; and it is
a charming House, filled with fine pictures & variety of Virtū[5]
which was too great an Amusement, to regret the other --
I cannot conclude this, without enquiring after Miʃs Planta
who I hope is quite recover'd, and able to retake her usual
attendance, for tho, I have no doubt, my agreable friend
will Shine, in that department; as well as in every other She
▼
undertakes, yet I wish her to have leʃs attendance (if
poʃsible) in order to regain her Health, and Spirits --
my mother, and Sister, bid me say, how much they feel
obliged, for Your kind enquiries; and joyn with me, in
best wishes, for Your Health and Happineʃs: and hope, You
will very soon, take up Your pen: which always gives great
pleasure to dear Miʃs Hamiltons Sincere friend Wil: King
[6]
Miʃs Hamilton[7]
Queens Lodge
Windsor
[8]
[9]
red text is normalised and/or unformatted in other panel)
Notes
1. A historic estate in the parish of Membury in Devon. Until c.1725 it belonged to the Fry family.
2. There is also a ghost story connected to Yarty and the Fry family that once lived there: Robert Fry, the last of his name to live there, died in 1725 but was seen in his house after his burial (cf. Peter Robson (2018) 'The Two Brothers' and Midsummer Divination: Dorset Folklore in The Woodlanders. The Thomas Hardy Journal 34, pp.87-93).
3. In present-day Isleworth.
4. Unclear whether this is Sarah Sophia Banks (28 October 1744 – 27 September 1818), sister and collaborator of Sir Joseph Banks, or the latter's wife, Dorothea Banks (née Hugessen), as Sarah Sophia Banks lived with Joseph Banks and his wife after they moved to 32 Soho Square in 1777.
5. ‘Objects of art considered collectively; antiques; curios’ (OED s.v. virtu n. sense 1.c. Accessed 03-11-2021).
6. Remains of a Bishop mark, in brown ink.
7. A large '2' is written to the right of the address, indicating postage due.
8. Remains of a Bishop mark, which reads '23 IY', indicating the date the letter went through the post.
9. Remains of a seal, in red wax.
Normalised Text
Dover Street 23 July 1781
my Dear Miss Hamilton
it has given us, very real concern
to hear of Your illness; and though Your letter assured me, You
was got well; Yet am anxious to hear You continue so,
for nervous complaints are very bad to get rid of: especially
this Hot Weather; could say a great deal more, but am
not clear, if You show letters; some people do, and in that
case I would not enter too deeply in Your case, for fear
I might be supposed a Quack &c &c. . . . . . . . . .
I shall hope for a letter in the course of the next
week directed to me at Weymouth, Dorset. as we set out
for that place next Wednesday, but as invalids, and travelling
with our own horses, we intend to make Easy days
and sunday coming in the way shall Stop for that at
Dorchester and visit a friend by which we shall not
arrive at Weymouth till Monday: where we shall most
likely rest a fortnight and then proceed to Yarty in
Devonshire, my Mothers Jointure House, that has been
left to the Sprites and Goblins in which that country
abounds, these thirty Year so ------ a dismal old
Mansion among the Hills -- but notwithstanding, if we
are all well shall pass our time agreeably as nothing
is more conducive to that than good Humour, which
we intend to take of the party: but will not anticipate
as I intend to send You particulars, and if the Ghosts
were troublesome &c &c..
I have the pleasure to inform You, my Mother is got very
stout again, a proof, She went to Hillingdon to dine
with Lady Elizebeth Worsley last Thursday; which is 15 mile
off; and the next day, we went to Sir Joseph Banks's,
in Smalbury Green; and believe, we saw the Princess Royal
go to Windsor, I looked hard to catch a glimpse of
You, but in vain it was too far to see. as she bore the
fatigue of it without any inconvenience flatter myself
the Journey will not be too much. my Sister I fear will
find it a good deal: but as change of Air is very restorative
we hope it will be of service to her. how clever
it would be, could You make one of the party!
I was not a little surprised to find Mr. Leland had
been to Windsor; and asked if it was not extraordinary?
but was told, not at all, for the officers might ask who
they pleased: I own it surprised me but though I had Your
letter said nothing, more, as they seemed so well satisfied
but it seems extraordinary --
I have been out of town for two or three days with Lady
Banks and spent my time very agreeably, one day we
went to Old Windsor, where we went on board the Galatee
Barge, and sailed down to Isleworth 25 mile: another
day we went of a fishing party, to a Gentlemans h ---
to catch Eels, of which a pond was so full we were told that ------
were seen, as large as a Mans Arm : in consequence
of this, we went loaded with fishing tackle, sufficient
to Catch, all the fish in that pond, and the next:
but, as those parties always turn out cross, the morning
proved wet, and though the Evening was fine the fish
would not bite; when, the Gentlemen out of patience,
flung in the net, and dragged: but met with the usual
fate, nothing but weeds! and not a fish to speak of.
for my part, I was very well entertained, and not mortified
about the disappointment, as I am no fisher; and it is
a charming House, filled with fine pictures & variety of Virtū
which was too great an Amusement, to regret the other --
I cannot conclude this, without enquiring after Miss Planta
who I hope is quite recovered, and able to retake her usual
attendance, for though, I have no doubt, my agreeable friend
will Shine, in that department; as well as in every other She
▼
undertakes, yet I wish her to have less attendance (if
possible) in order to regain her Health, and Spirits --
my mother, and Sister, bid me say, how much they feel
obliged, for Your kind enquiries; and join with me, in
best wishes, for Your Health and Happiness: and hope, You
will very soon, take up Your pen: which always gives great
pleasure to dear Miss Hamiltons Sincere friend Wilhelmina King
Miss Hamilton
Queens Lodge
Windsor
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 Wilhelmina King (later Murray) to Mary Hamilton
Shelfmark: HAM/1/7/7/1
Correspondence Details
Sender: Wilhelmina Murray (née King)
Place sent: London
Addressee: Mary Hamilton
Place received: Windsor
Date sent: 23 July 1781
Letter Description
Summary: Letter from Wilhelmina King to Mary Hamilton, conveying general news of
family and friends. King is to travel to Weymouth, Dorset with her mother
and sister after which she is to travel to Devonshire, to her mother's
'Jointure House'. The house has been left to the 'Spirits and goblins in
which that country abounds'. King writes that she will keep Hamilton
informed as to whether or not she meets any 'troublesome' ghosts.
King updates Hamilton on her mother's health which has improved, so much
so that she dined at a friend's 15 miles away and the next day visited
Sir Joseph Banks. King notes that she saw the Princess Royal's carriage
on its way to Windsor and she tried to catch a glimpse of Hamilton but
was unable to.
The letter continues on news of family and friends. She reports that a
group of Gentleman at Lady Banks set out on a fishing party as they had
heard that a pond contained eels that were as 'large as a mans arm'. The
fishing was unsuccessful and the men's patience left them and dragged
their nets in the pond and only caught weeds which King found very
entertaining.
Dated at Dover Street [London].
Original reference No. 4.
Length: 1 sheet, 756 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: Tino Oudesluijs, editorial team (completed 1 November 2021)
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