HAMILTON, SIR WILLIAM, distinguished philosopher of the Scotch school, born in Glasgow; studied there and in Oxford with distinction; bred for the bar, but hardly ever practised; contributed to the Edinburgh Review, having previously published “Discussions in Philosophy”; in 1836 he became professor of Logic and Metaphysics in Edinburgh University, in which capacity he exercised a great influence in the domain of philosophic speculation; his lectures were published after his death; his system was attacked by John Stuart Mill, and criticised in part by Dr. Hutchison Stirling, who, while deducting materially from his repute as an original thinker, describes his “writings as always brilliant, forcible, clear, and, where information is concerned, both entertaining and instructive”; was “almost the only earnest man,” Carlyle testifies, he found in Edinburgh on his visit from Craigenputtock to the city in 1833 (1788-1856).

HAMILTON, SIR WILLIAM ROWAN, an eminent mathematician, born in Dublin; such was his precocity that at 13 he was versed in thirteen languages, and by 17 was an acknowledged master in mathematical science; while yet an undergraduate at Trinity College, Dublin, he was appointed in 1827 professor of Astronomy in Dublin University, and Astronomer-Royal of Ireland; his mathematical works and treatises, of the most original and a far-reaching character, brought him a European reputation, and embraced his “Theory of Systems of Rays,” “A General Method in Dynamics,” and the invention of “Quaternions”; he was knighted in 1835 (1805-1865).

HAMILTONIAN SYSTEM, a system of teaching languages by interlinear translation.

HAMMER, German Orientalist and historian, born at Graetz; author of a “History of the Ottoman Empire” (1774-1856).

HAMMERFEST (2), the most northerly town in Europe; is situated on the barren island of Kvaloe, and is the port of the Norwegian province of Finmark; fishing is the staple industry; during two months in summer the sun never sets.

HAMMERSMITH (97), a parliamentary borough of Middlesex, on the N. side of the Thames, forms a part of W. London.

HAMMOND, HENRY, English divine, born at Chertsey; suffered as an adherent of the royal cause, being chaplain to Charles I.; author of “Paraphrase and Annotations of the New Testament” (1605-1660).

HAMPDEN, JOHN, a famous English statesman and patriot, cousin to Oliver Cromwell, born in London; passed through Oxford and studied law at the Inner Temple; subsequently he settled down on his father’s estate, and in 1621 entered Parliament, joining the opposition; he came first into conflict with the king by refusing to contribute to a general loan levied by Charles, and subsequently became famous by his resistance to the ship-money tax; he was a member of the Short Parliament, and played a prominent part in the more eventful transactions of the Long Parliament; an attempt on Charles’s part to seize Hampden and four other members precipitated the Civil War; he took an active part in organising the Parliamentary forces, and proved himself a brave and skilful general in the field; he fell mortally wounded while opposing Prince Rupert in a skirmish at Chalgrove Field; historians unite in extolling his nobility of character, statesmanship, and single-minded patriotism (1594-1643).