Hubertus von skal biography of william hamilton

While in Italy, Hamilton became involved in studying local volcanoes and collecting antiquities, becoming a fellow of the Royal Society and being given the Copley Medal. Hamilton was born on 13 December [ 1 ] or 12 January [ 2 ] in either London or at Park Place, Berkshire , the fourth son of Lord Archibald Hamilton — , Governor of Jamaica , and Lady Jane Hamilton before — , daughter of the 6th Earl of Abercorn near — Hamilton used to say that he was born with an ancient name and a thousand pounds; as a younger son he would have to make his own way in life.

In September , he was present as aide-de-camp to General Henry Seymour Conway at the abortive attack on Rochefort. The couple shared a love of music, and the marriage, which lasted until Catherine's death on 25 August , was a happy one. There were no children. When Catherine's father died in , she inherited his estates in Wales and these provided the Hamiltons with a steady income.

In , Hamilton entered Parliament as Member for Midhurst. When he heard that the ambassador to the court of Naples, Sir James Gray , was likely to be promoted to Madrid, Hamilton expressed an interest in the position, and was duly appointed in Hamilton arrived in Naples on 17 November [ 9 ] with the official title of Envoy Extraordinary to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and would remain as ambassador to the court of Ferdinand and Maria Carolina until , although from November he was based in Palermo , the court having moved there when Naples was threatened by the French Army.

Hamilton letters (The): the Naples

As ambassador, Hamilton was expected to send reports back to the Secretary of State every ten days or so, to promote Britain's commercial interests in Naples, and to keep open house for English travellers to Naples. Catherine, who had never enjoyed good health, began to recover in the mild climate of Naples. Their main residence was the Palazzo Sessa, where they hosted official functions and where Hamilton housed his growing collection of paintings and antiquities; they also had a small villa on the seashore at Posillipo later it would be called Villa Emma , a house at Portici , Villa Angelica, from where he could study Mount Vesuvius , and a house at Caserta near the Royal Palace.

Hamilton began collecting Greek vases and other antiquities as soon as he arrived in Naples, obtaining them from dealers or other collectors, or even opening tombs himself. The text was written by d'Hancarville with contributions by Johann Winckelmann. A further three volumes were produced in — When Hamilton returned to England for a third period of leave, in —84, he brought with him a Roman glass vase, which had once belonged to the Barberini family and which later became known as the Portland Vase.