Diplomatic Text
16
Farmborough Place[1] September
24th- 1786
My dear dear Friend!
I hasten to tell you how delighted I was with your dear lette[r]
which I received on the 221st, or rather which I found on my return
to Town on that day -- I never had heard from you since May, which
letter I had almost immediatly answered. I was in constant
expectation of hearing from you from that time till I last wrote
but I concluded that either your situation or your avocations preven[ted]
you writing, I own I have always too much confidence in the
affection of my Friends, either from my own vanity, or my good
opinion of them, not to suppose any reason for their silence
rather than ------ alteration, ofin their sentiments towards me
aʃsured as I am of the continuation of yours, I shall be satisfied
that when [you] do not write, you cannot write, but when you can, I
shall always hope you will, & the more frequently you do it the
happier you will make one, whose esteem, tenderneʃs & sincer[e]
attachment will last as long as you remain what she had so long
the happineʃs of knowing you -- I would have written, as you
desired me on a folio sheet, but there is no such thing allotted
me in this house -- I shall do as well tho' or better, for you
will have I believe as much here, as you gave me on your
long Paper, and I will write to you again the moment I
get to Horton which will be in about ten Days -- I must now
account for myself since I last wrote & having brought my
journal down to have this moment, will continue it
both as to my Health & occupations, in my next --
I left Horton as I believe I had mentioned my intention
of doing, on the 6th of September -- I had been tormented
with the pain in my jaw & toothache ever since the Races --
I held the Plate at the HospitalChurch, caught cold by standing in the
Door -- increased it at the Stand on the course, & again after
the Ball, by hurrying away in compaʃsion to my Father
before I was cool -- I slept at Delapré & returned home next
Day -- I went to the Drawingrooms of course & in the Evening
went down to Lord Carlisle's, who had taken a House in
Putney Lane which I daresay you know from its vicinity to Sir Henry
Harpur's -- it belonged to Ly Poeʃs[2] & now to Mr Middleton --
it is very pretty -- chearful, small, comfortable and retired --
here I remained till last Thursday -- I continued to suffer with
my toothache -- Ld Car: persuaded me to go up to Spence
I did, & he chose to draw my tooth -- I now expected ease -- but
to my great mortification, found by a violent fit of pain
just as we had left London, that the wrong tooth was
drawn -- I was obliged to suffer two Days longer because
the next Day was Sunday, ------ & on Monday had the right
tooth taken out -- I have since had a good deal of pain
flying about my face, & am far from well tho' I do not well
know what is my complaint -- I am feverish & look
like a Ghost -- I take James's Powders[3] at night & Saline
Draughts all day -- Lord Carlisle who when he chooses
(which indeed he often does) is the most agreeable man
in the world, was remarquably so all the time he remaind
with us -- he carried Lord Morpeth to Eton some Days before
I left Putney & is now gone to Castle Howard -- Ly Carlisle
& Ly Caroline went to Trentham on Friday, for some
weeks -- I have promised Mrs Wilmot a visit there
several years, & never yet have had it in my power, or
rather never before now -- I am vastly glad to find it now
in my power, for they are the best and most friendly kind
people that ever existed, & have always shew me so muc[h]
friendship, & done me so many offices of kindneʃs, particularly
during my illneʃs at Bath, that I should be most ungrateful
indeed, did I not take every opportunity of shewing my sense
of their goodneʃs -- I came on Saturday & I shall stay till
Wednesday, when I intend going to St Leonards till the
next Drawingroom -- Lord & Ly Harcourt are there -- Del
Campo & Mrs Siddons -- both these last are very pleasant
and agreeable People to me in their different ways -- the form[er]
the Spanish Minister, is very pleasant and very musical --
the latter you know how much I admired in a Publick
Character -- my admiration is not leʃsened since I
am become acquainted with her in private life & society
there will be something at the Queen's House on Friday
I suppose -- Pʃs R. Birthday -- I shall write to you about it
in my next -- Mrs Harcourt has been very indifferent
again -- poor Miʃs Danby is I fear dying at Nice --
now for my future Plans -- that I may catch you
in Northamtonshire if the thing is poʃsible -- I very
much doubt it -- I go the 6th -- stay till the 20th of October
return there for another fortnight in November, either the
first or the last -- it is not determind, & if your intention
is to be at Dallington during any part of that Month, you
shall determine it -- so let me know -- My Father &
Bell go to Bath on the first of December for two Months
& come to Town in February -- so after November there is
an end of Northamtonshire till 87 -- God Grant that
we may meet! Indeed I feel our separation cruelly, but
the idea of your happineʃs which always occurrs
when I think of you, prevents forbids me to mur[mur]
or repine -- if you could be happy for a little while
near me it would to be sure be better on many accoun[ts]
but whilst I know you to be so, tho' at a distance -- I must
be contented -- I am sure I sincerely enter into your
feelings & regretts about Mrs Jackson! how well I rememb[er]
her -- what a loʃs to you! to her Sisters! but an irreparable
one to her Children! this has been a fatal year or rather
Summer to Ladies in that situation -- Lady Graham
what a loʃs to everybody who knew her -- to the poor
Duke & Dʃs of Montrose, irrecoverable! Lady Harriet
Elliott was dying when I was in Town -- Ly Ayoph
does perfectly well tho' -- thank you my dear Friend
for the Verses -- they shall be sacred -- May I say that
I do not quite like them -- I [find] them confused & without
any distinct visible meaning -- poor Col: Cathcart has
been extremely ill -- I have not seen him, on that accou[nt]
tho' I much wish it -- we have had some corresponden[ce]
on account of our mutual Friend Mr Young from when
he brought me a letter & to whom I have already writte[n]
12 pages -- it would be barbarous to send leʃs to India, esp
when one writes but once in a year or two --
adieu my dear dear Friend -- God bleʃs you -- & may
every happineʃs attend your steps! your unalterable & affect:
CMG
▼
Mrs Garrick has lately been here -- she was perfectly well
do you know Miʃs Cadogan? She left us this morning --
a remarquable sensible Woman -- remember me
to Mr D --
[6]
[7]
Seper. 1786[8]
red text is normalised and/or unformatted in other panel)
Notes
1. Home of Mr and Mrs Wilmot.
2. Horace Walpole's correspondence has a Lady Powis living in Putney Lane in 1776.
3. Dr James's Fever Powder, a medicine patented by the English physician Robert James in 1746. It claimed to cure fevers and various other maladies.
4. A large '9' is written to the right of the address panel, likely indicating postage due.
5. Moved address panel here from the middle of the page when unfolded, written vertically.
6. Postmark '28 SE' to the right of the address, indicating that the letter went through the post on 28 September 1786.
7. Remains of a seal, in red wax.
8. This annotation is written upside down at the bottom of the page.
Normalised Text
Farmborough Place September
24th-
My dear dear Friend!
I hasten to tell you how delighted I was with your dear letter
which I received on the 21st, or rather which I found on my return
to Town on that day -- I never had heard from you since May, which
letter I had almost immediately answered. I was in constant
expectation of hearing from you from that time till I last wrote
but I concluded that either your situation or your avocations prevented
you writing, I own I have always too much confidence in the
affection of my Friends, either from my own vanity, or my good
opinion of them, not to suppose any reason for their silence
rather than alteration, in their sentiments towards me
assured as I am of the continuation of yours, I shall be satisfied
that when you do not write, you cannot write, but when you can, I
shall always hope you will, & the more frequently you do it the
happier you will make one, whose esteem, tenderness & sincere
attachment will last as long as you remain what she had so long
the happiness of knowing you -- I would have written, as you
desired me on a folio sheet, but there is no such thing allotted
me in this house -- I shall do as well though or better, for you
will have I believe as much here, as you gave me on your
long Paper, and I will write to you again the moment I
get to Horton which will be in about ten Days -- I must now
account for myself since I last wrote & having brought my
journal down to this moment, will continue it
both as to my Health & occupations, in my next --
I left Horton as I believe I had mentioned my intention
of doing, on the 6th of September -- I had been tormented
with the pain in my jaw & toothache ever since the Races --
I held the Plate at the Church, caught cold by standing in the
Door -- increased it at the Stand on the course, & again after
the Ball, by hurrying away in compassion to my Father
before I was cool -- I slept at Delapré & returned home next
Day -- I went to the Drawingrooms of course & in the Evening
went down to Lord Carlisle's, who had taken a House in
Putney Lane which I daresay you know from its vicinity to Sir Henry
Harpur's -- it belonged to Lady Poess & now to Mr Middleton --
it is very pretty -- cheerful, small, comfortable and retired --
here I remained till last Thursday -- I continued to suffer with
my toothache -- Lord Carlisle persuaded me to go up to Spence
I did, & he chose to draw my tooth -- I now expected ease -- but
to my great mortification, found by a violent fit of pain
just as we had left London, that the wrong tooth was
drawn -- I was obliged to suffer two Days longer because
the next Day was Sunday, & on Monday had the right
tooth taken out -- I have since had a good deal of pain
flying about my face, & am far from well though I do not well
know what is my complaint -- I am feverish & look
like a Ghost -- I take James's Powders at night & Saline
Draughts all day -- Lord Carlisle who when he chooses
(which indeed he often does) is the most agreeable man
in the world, was remarkably so all the time he remained
with us -- he carried Lord Morpeth to Eton some Days before
I left Putney & is now gone to Castle Howard -- Lady Carlisle
& Lady Caroline went to Trentham on Friday, for some
weeks -- I have promised Mrs Wilmot a visit there
several years, & never yet have had it in my power, or
rather never before now -- I am vastly glad to find it now
in my power, for they are the best and most friendly kind
people that ever existed, & have always showed me so much
friendship, & done me so many offices of kindness, particularly
during my illness at Bath, that I should be most ungrateful
indeed, did I not take every opportunity of showing my sense
of their goodness -- I came on Saturday & I shall stay till
Wednesday, when I intend going to St Leonards till the
next Drawingroom -- Lord & Lady Harcourt are there -- Del
Campo & Mrs Siddons -- both these last are very pleasant
and agreeable People to me in their different ways -- the former
the Spanish Minister, is very pleasant and very musical --
the latter you know how much I admired in a Public
Character -- my admiration is not lessened since I
am become acquainted with her in private life & society
there will be something at the Queen's House on Friday
I suppose -- Princess Royal Birthday -- I shall write to you about it
in my next -- Mrs Harcourt has been very indifferent
again -- poor Miss Danby is I fear dying at Nice --
now for my future Plans -- that I may catch you
in Northamtonshire if the thing is possible -- I very
much doubt it -- I go the 6th -- stay till the 20th of October
return there for another fortnight in November, either the
first or the last -- it is not determined, & if your intention
is to be at Dallington during any part of that Month, you
shall determine it -- so let me know -- My Father &
Bell go to Bath on the first of December for two Months
& come to Town in February -- so after November there is
an end of Northamtonshire till 87 -- God Grant that
we may meet! Indeed I feel our separation cruelly, but
the idea of your happiness which always occurs
when I think of you, forbids me to murmur
or repine -- if you could be happy for a little while
near me it would to be sure be better on many accounts
but whilst I know you to be so, though at a distance -- I must
be contented -- I am sure I sincerely enter into your
feelings & regrets about Mrs Jackson! how well I remember
her -- what a loss to you! to her Sisters! but an irreparable
one to her Children! this has been a fatal year or rather
Summer to Ladies in that situation -- Lady Graham
what a loss to everybody who knew her -- to the poor
Duke & Duchess of Montrose, irrecoverable! Lady Harriet
Elliott was dying when I was in Town -- Lady Ayoph
does perfectly well though -- thank you my dear Friend
for the Verses -- they shall be sacred -- May I say that
I do not quite like them -- I find them confused & without
any distinct visible meaning -- poor Colonel Cathcart has
been extremely ill -- I have not seen him, on that account
though I much wish it -- we have had some correspondence
on account of our mutual Friend Mr Young from when
he brought me a letter & to whom I have already written
12 pages -- it would be barbarous to send less to India, especially
when one writes but once in a year or two --
adieu my dear dear Friend -- God bless you -- & may
every happiness attend your steps! your unalterable & affectionate
Charlotte Margaret Gunning
▼
Mrs Garrick has lately been here -- she was perfectly well
do you know Miss Cadogan? She left us this morning --
a remarkable sensible Woman -- remember me
to Mr Dickenson --
Mrs Dickenson
Taxal
Chapel le Frith
Derbyshire
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 Charlotte Margaret Gunning to Mary Hamilton
Shelfmark: HAM/1/15/1/15
Correspondence Details
Sender: Charlotte Margaret Digby (née Gunning)
Place sent: Farmborough, Somerset
Addressee: Mary Hamilton
Place received: Taxal, near Chapel-en-le-Frith
Date sent: 28 September 1786
Letter Description
Summary: Letter from Charlotte Gunning to Mary Hamilton. She provides an account of what she has been doing since her last letter to Hamilton. She also writes with news of friends, including Mrs Garrick. Gunning thanks Hamilton for her letter and writes that from now on she will know that when she does not receive a letter from Hamilton it is only because she cannot write, rather than that she does not wish to write.
Dated at Farmborough Place [Somerset, home of the Wilmots].
Original reference No. 16.
Length: 1 sheet, 1254 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 2014/15 and 2015/16 provided by the Department of Linguistics and English Language, University of Manchester.
Research assistant: Isabella Formisano, former MA student, University of Manchester
Research assistant: Carla Seabra-Dacosta, MA student, University of Vigo
Transliterator: Grace Ormerod, undergraduate student, University of Manchester (submitted May 2016)
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