William Hamilton (1730-1803)

See also: William Hamilton

Sir William Douglas Hamilton (December 30th 1730 - April 6th 1803) is a Diplomate, Antiquaire, Archéologue and British volcanologist .

Hamilton is the fourth wire of Lord Archibald Hamilton, governor of Jamaica. It serves in the army starting from 1747 but leaves it after its marriage with Catherine Barlow the January 25th 1758. Catherine dies in 1782, the couple does not have a child.

He is Ambassadeur of Great Britain at the court of Naples of 1764 with 1800. During its mandate he studies the volcanic activity and the earthquakes. He writes also a book on the old Roman city of Pompéi. It collects the Greek vases and other antiquities. It sells part of its collection with the British Museum in 1772 which makes use of it as bases of its department Greek and Roman antiquities. The second part of its collection will be lost at the time of the shipwreck of the HMS Colossus during its voyage towards the Great Britain.

In 1786 it meets Emma Lyon, an young woman who is sent to him by her nephew. As the majority of the men who revolved around it, Sir William were struck by Emma, who carried out dances inspired by the traditional elements for him and her guests, including Goethe, while not wearing any undergarment. However, it did not make him any advance until it was lends to accept them. They married on September 6th, 1791 with St George' S Hanover Square, London. It was 60 years old; it had 26 of them. Later Horatio Nelson, a man that Hamilton admires, in tomb in love, a connection which he encourages.

Hamilton receives the Médaille Copley in 1770.

Bibliographies

Etruscan, Greek and Roman Antiquities , 1766-1767;
Mount Vesuvius 1772 ;
Campi Phlaegraei, Observations one the Volcanos off the Two Sicilies '', 1776.

Biographies

Fothergill B. - Sir William Hamilton: envoy extraordinary , 1969, ISBN 0151826765

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