Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VIII.djvu/434

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420 HAMILTON bearing. His figure, though slight, was well proportioned and graceful. His complexion was very delicate and fair, his cheeks rosy, and the whole expression pleasing and cheerful. His voice was musical, his manner frank and cordial. He excelled equally as a writer and a speaker. His widow survived him 50 years, having died in 1854 at the age of 97. His son John 0. Hamilton wrote his life (2 vols. 8vo, 1834-'40), edited his works from MSS. in the state department (7 vols., 1851), and also compiled an elaborate work in several volumes under the title of "History of the Republic of the United States, as traced in the Writings of Alexander Hamilton and his Con- temporaries" (1850). See also "A Collection of Facts and Documents relative to the Death of Major General Hamilton," by W. Coleman (1804) ; " Official Reports" (1810) ; his life by James Renwick (1841); "Official and other Papers," edited by Francis L. Hawks (1842) ; and "Hamilton's Conduct as Secretary of the Treasury Vindicated," by J. A. Hamilton (1870). HAMILTON, Count Anthony, a French writer, born in Ireland about 1646, died at St. Ger- main-en-Laye in 1720. He belonged to an il- lustrious Scotch family, and on the death of Charles I. was taken to France, where he re- ceived his education. On the restoration of Charles II. he returned to England, and was presented at court, but, being a Catholic, re- ceived no official appointment. James II. gave him the command of an infantry regiment in Ireland and the government of Limerick. In 1688 he accompanied the exiled king to France, and remained one of his faithful cour- tiers. During this period he wrote his spir- ited works, which still hold a place in French literature. The best known, Les memoires du comte de Gramont (1713), is a narrative of the licentious life of his brother-in-law, and a faith- ful picture of the court of Charles II. of Eng- land. He left also a series of tales, written to burlesque the then recently published "Ara- bian Nights :" Le lelier, Fleur d'epine, Les quatre Facardins, and Zeneide, first published in 1749, and several miscellaneous light poems. The Memoires have been frequently translated in England, one of the best editions being that published by Bohn with notes and illustrations by Sir Walter Scott, and including the per- sonal history of Charles and the Boscobel tracts (1853). Hamilton's tales, under the title of " Fairy Tales and Romances," have also been translated into English (1849). The best French edition of his complete works is by Renouard (3 vols., Paris, 1812). HAMILTON, Elizabeth, an Irish authoress, born in Belfast, July 25, 1758, died at Harrogate, England, July 25, 1816. She spent considera- ble time in Scotland, as governess in the family of a Scottish nobleman, and some of her most interesting works sprang from the friendships which she formed and the observations which she made in that country. Among these are her "Letters on the Formation of Religious and Moral Principle" (2 vols. 8vo, London, 1806), addressed to the eldest of her pupils, and her "Cottagers of Glenburnie" (1808), a tale illustrative of the habits of the Scottish peasantry of that day. The most important of her other works are : " Letters of a Hindoo Rajah, written previous to and during the Pe- riod of his Residence in England " (2 vols., 1796), a fictitious work describing English man- ners; "Memoirs of Modern Philosophers" (3 vols., Bath, 1800) ; " Letters on the Ele- ' mentary Principles of Education" (2 vols., 1801-'2) ; " Memoirs of the Life of Agrippina the Wife of Germanicus" (2 vols., London, 1811); and "Popular Essays on the Under- standing, Imagination," &c. (2 vols., 1845). HAMILTON, Gavin, a Scottish artist, born at Lanark about 1730, died in Rome in 1797. At an early age he went to Rome, where he studied painting. He spent the latter part of his life exploring the neighborhood of Rome for ancient monuments and statues, which he bought and sold, and of which he made a large and valuable collection, now in the Towneley gallery of mar- bles in the British museum. He published " The Italian School of Painting," with 40 su- perb plates (fol., London, 1773). HAMILTON, James, an American statesman, born in Charleston, S. C., May 8, 1786, drowned at sea near the coast of Texas, Nov. 15, 1857. He was educated for the bar, but entered tho army and served as a major in the Canadian campaign of 1812, and afterward resumed the practice of the law. For several successive years he was mayor of Charleston, and he was active in the detection of a formidable con- spiracy in 1822 among the negro population, led by Denmark Vesey, a free mulatto from Hayti. In the same year he was elected to the state legislature, and was also chosen a rep- resentative in congress, where he became promi- nent by his opposition to the protective system. While in congress he acted as second to John Randolph in his duel with Henry Clay. He was also second to Gov. McDuffie in his duel with Col. Cummings. Jackson, on his elec- tion as president in 1828, offered him the post of secretary of war, and afterward that of minister to Mexico, with authority to nego- tiate the annexation of Texas, both of which he declined. In 1830-'32 he was governor of South Carolina, and recommended to the le- gislature the passage of the nullification act, which he supported in numerous essciys and speeches. His successor, Gov. Hayne, ap- pointed him to the command of the state mi- litia. Some time afterward he became inter- ested in the affairs of the republic of Texas, and in 1841 was her minister to England and France, where he procured the recognition of her independence ; and in 1845 he was active in aiding her admission to the Union. On the death of Calhoun in 1850, he was appointed his successor in the United States senate, but for domestic reasons he declined the office. He had expended his fortune in the service of