William Hamilton (1704–1754) was a Scottish poet associated with the Jacobite movement.

Life

Hamilton was born at the family seat in

Ecclesmachan Ecclesmachan (Gaelic: ''Eaglais Mhachain'') (Welsh: ''Eglwys Machan'') (NT058736) is an historic village in West Lothian. It lies just north of Uphall on the B8046 road. The village is notable for its medieval origin parish church. As at 2001, ...

West Lothian West Lothian ( sco, Wast Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Iar) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and was one of its shires of Scotland, historic counties. The county was called Linlithgowshire until 1925. The historic county was bounded geogra ...

. He was the second son of James Hamilton of Bangour, advocate, whose grandfather, James, second son of John Hamilton of Little Earnock, Lanarkshire, founded the Bangour family. On the death of his elder brother, without heir, in 1750, Hamilton succeeded to the estate. His naturally delicate constitution, as well as his tastes, had all along prevented him from going much into fashionable society, and from his early years he started writing

poetry Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings i ...

, receiving ready commendation from his friends. Between 1724 and 1727, he contributed lyrics to Allan Ramsay's ''Tea Table Miscellany'', and he showed a practical interest in the success of the ''Gentle Shepherd.'' This poem is dedicated, 25 June 1725, to the beautiful and much admired

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, whose favourable consideration of Ramsay's merits is further solicited by Hamilton in a set of spirited heroic couplets following the dedication. The poet's ardour in his love-songs led, at least in one case, to a feeling of resentment on the part of a lady, who consulted his close friend

Henry Home, Lord Kames Henry Home, Lord Kames (169627 December 1782) was a Scottish writer, philosopher, advocate, judge, and agricultural improver. A central figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, a founding member of the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh, and a ...

in her dilemma, and, acting on his advice to profess a return of affection, quickly startled Hamilton into an attitude of distant reserve. Heartily espousing the cause of the

Stuarts The House of Stuart, originally spelt Stewart, was a royal house of Scotland, England, Ireland and later Great Britain. The family name comes from the office of High Steward of Scotland, which had been held by the family progenitor Walter fi ...

, Hamilton in his ''Gladsmuir'' celebrated the Jacobite victory at

Prestonpans Prestonpans ( gd, Baile an t-Sagairt, Scots: ''The Pans'') is a small mining town, situated approximately eight miles east of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the Council area of East Lothian. The population as of is. It is near the site of the 1745 ...

. After Culloden he was for a time in hiding in the highlands, and ''A Soliloquy wrote in June 1746'' is charged with a deep feeling of his troubles. Ultimately he succeeded along with others in reaching

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. On the intercession of influential friends, he was allowed to return to

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, but the great strain had deeply affected his weak constitution, and he found it impossible to remain at home. His last days were spent at Lyons, where he died of consumption, 25 March 1754. His body was brought to Scotland, and buried in the Abbey Church, Holyrood.

Family

Hamilton was twice married, and James, his son by his first wife, a daughter of Sir James Hall, 2nd bart.of Dunglass, succeeded to the estate.

References

;Attribution * * 1704 births 1754 deaths 18th-century Scottish poets Jacobite propagandists Scottish Jacobites Scottish political writers People from West Lothian Scottish expatriates in France Scottish male poets Jacobite poets {{UK-poet-stub