COLLECTION NAME:
Mary Hamilton Papers
Record
Image Number:
HAM23.pdf
Reference Number:
HAM/2/3
Link to Catalogue:
Series Title:
Manuscript Diaries
Parent Work Title:
Diary of Mary Hamilton
Creator:
Hamilton, Mary, 1756-1816
Creator Role:
Author
Date Created:
1783
Description:
The diary covers 22 June 1783 - 4 December 1783 and records Hamilton's many visits and social engagements. She writes of spending an hour at Frances Burney's where they had very 'pleasant conversation', of reading poetry, of her dinner engagements and of her visits to Mrs Delany and the Duchess of Portland. She also writes on her relationship with servants. Hamilton records the day she moves into Clarges Street with the Clarke sisters and lists the visitors to her house. She notes her visits to friends including a dinner at Mrs Garrick's with the Vesey's where the conversation was 'animated & sensible'. Also amongst the party was Miss Boyle and Horace Walpole. After dinner, Hamilton notes the women left the 'Gentleman for coffee' and Mrs Garrick entertained them by showing them letters from Lord Monbodo. She writes of her stay at Mrs Walsingham's, of reading passages from the life of the Duchess of Marlborough and of the interesting conversation they had which kept her up later that she was used to. Hamilton writes of a visit to Hampton Court Palace where a 'very sensible man showed them the pictures [there and notes that he was]superior to the... [usual] people who show fine houses'. Hamilton writes that Mrs Garrick came to dinner at Mrs Walsingham's and was very entertaining. Mrs Walsingham's daughter, Miss Boyle read chapters from the old and new testaments to them, Mrs Walsingham played the harpsichord. S he writes of visiting the Duke of Newcastle's estate, 'Oatlands' and visited the grotto there which is said to have cost £10,000. Hamilton details the poetry they read, the music they played and the conversations they had on such visits throughout the diary. On her return home from her visit to Mrs Walsingham, Hamilton writes of going over the river and that the boat she took was steered by a woman dressed as a man and that she was of 'truly [a] masculine size'. Hamilton continues the diary recording her other visits to friends and family including a visit to Horace Walpole. She details Strawberry Hill and the other visitors there and notes Walpole's hopes that she would visit often. She also writes of more day to day tasks such as a visit to a bookseller in Bond Street to settle her account and in interviewing a Madame Renaud as a prospective governess to Miss Wake, the daughter of her friend. She notes of assisting at a 'Globe lecture' and of taking 'a lesson in Italian'. Hamilton also writes of receiving gifts of a silver ink horn and a Bible from Mrs Walsingham' and of reading from Walpole's Anecdotes of Politics in England. The diary includes general news of society and gossip. Lady Dartrey informed her that the Prince of Wales had made enquiries after her and the Clarkes told her of the death of a woman when a coach overturned. Hamilton also writes in detail on her stay at Bulstrode with Mrs Delany and the Duchess of Portland. Whilst there she read newspapers, the Duchess gave her a book of drawings to examine, read manuscript poems. She writes of meeting Court Dewes, the nephew of Mrs Delany and of discussing her Uncle Frederick Hamilton with Mrs Delany and Delany making 'remarks on artful characters'. Whilst at Bulstrode her maid Betty informed Hamilton of the 'high esteem' in which she is held by the other servants and of their hopes that the Duchess would press her to extend her visit. Hamilton is pleased with this report and notes that 'surely it is an innocent & laudable vanity to listen to commendations of this sort not only as it encourages one to [consider]oneself worthy of being esteemed but gives such universal satisfaction by behaving in a civil pleasing manner towards every individual of society - it seems all of the D[uche]ss of P[ortland's] servants are quite delighted with me'.
Language Code:
eng-GB
Language:
English
Subject:
Great Britain--Social life and customs
Category of Material:
Archives
Sub-Category:
Diaries
Technique Used:
Handwriting
Medium:
Ink
Support:
Paper
Time Period Covered:
18th Century CE
People Covered:
Garrick, Eva Maria, 1724-1822
People Covered:
George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830
People Covered:
Hamilton, Mary, 1756-1816
Current Repository:
The University of Manchester Library, U.K.
Rights Holder - Image:
The University of Manchester Library
Rights Holder - Work:
Copyright restrictions may apply
Date Captured (yyyy-mm-dd):
2011-12-06
Image Creation Technique:
Digital capture by The University of Manchester Library
Access Rights:
Date Image Added (yyyy-mm):
2012-09
Metadata Language:
eng-GB
Collection Code:
Mary Hamilton Papers