HAMILTON, the chief town of the middle ward of Lanarkshire, is about 12 miles to the south-east of Glas gow, and situated in the parish of the same name. In ancient times, the district in the neighbourhood of Ha milton appears to have borne the designation of Cadzow, while the town seems to have been called " the Orchard," probably from the fruit-grounds with which the houses were surrrounded. There is little doubt that the town de rives its present appellation from the noble family of Ha milton, who appear to have settled in Clydesdale soon after the year 1215.
The first residence of the family was Cadzow Castle, situated on the precipitous banks of the Avon, about a mile from the town. In the statistical account of Hamil ton, it is mentioned, that this building was deserted after the injuries it sustained from the army of the regent Mur ray, but a considerable portion of it is still to be seen, de noting the massy strength of the original structure. The palace of Hamilton, now occupied, (A. D. 1316,) by the most noble the of Douglas, as representative of his father the Duke 07 Hamilton, is situated in the higher part of the beautiful read fertile valley through which the Clyde pursues its course, and lies to the west of the con fluence of that noble river -vith the Avon. It was built ;.bout the end of the 17th and forms three sides of a quadrangle. The are large and_ lofty, and have lately been very splendidly fled up. Thegallcry or paintings is perhaps the finest in Scotland, many ad ditions having been made to it by the present Marquis of Douglas. The portrait of the Earl of Denbeigh by Vandyke, and " Daniel in the Den of Lions," by Rubens, have been noticed by every traveller. To these may be added, a St Sebastian by Guido Reni, a St Francis, and infant St John, by Ccrreggio, and in particular an 0 ace Homo," by the same master. Two landscapes of rocks, and a head of Diogenes by Salvator Rosa, a dying Madona by Ludovico Caracci, and an admirable painting of the Virgin embracing the head of Christ, by Mabeuge. In the great gallery there is likewise a bust of Cleopatra, in which the depth and aggravation of grief aremost won derfully expressed ; and in one of the lower apartments there is a statue of "the Venus de Medici." Among the valuable curiosities, we have observed a large table of the most beautiful malachite, unequalled, as far as we have been able to learn, in any part of the British empire.
Nearly opposite to Cadzow upon the Avon, and in full view of the palace, stands the castle of Chatelherault, built by the Duke of Hamilton in the year 1730, and meant to represent the castle of the same name in France, of which his ancestors were dukes. It was executed from a design of the elder Adams. In the surrounding park are some of the largest oaks in Scotland, the re:nains of those extensive forests with which the country was formerly covered. Among these trees grazed the ancient Caledo
nian cows, mentioned by Hector Boece, as a peculiar breed, and distinguished by their manes resembling those of lions, by their snowy whiteness, and their untameable ferocity. It is believed that the original race are now extinct ; for the present breed are not remarkably different in their ap pearance from the common cow, excepting only that they are all over white, or rather cream-coloured, and have black or brown ears and muzzles. They may be approach ed without fear or difficulty.
By the exertions of the Marquis of Douglas, the palace is now wholly separated from the. town. The latter con sists of a main street, running in a south-eastern direc tion, and forming part of the road from Glasgow to Lanark. There are many cross streets, -and individual houses with gardens attached to them. The prison and town-hall are in the centre of the town, and on the former there is a tolerable spire. The parish church was built in 1732, from a design of Adams. It stands upon a rising ground in the upper part of the town, and is a very handsome structure, uniting stability with lightness. Though by no means well seated, it is understood to accommodate about 1300 people. The charge is collegiate, but the stipends of the ministers have lately been equalized. Besides the parish churcl, there is one belonging to the Relief Seceders, another to the Burghers, and a third to the Antiburghers. The schools are numerous. There is a large hall for a grammar school. It was in this school that the celebrated Dr William Cullen, the father of physic in Scotland, received a part of his education ; and the traditionary report of the townsmen bears, that he ap peared at one of the annual examinations in girl's clothes, acting the part of a shepherdess, in a Latin pastoral. Nor ought we to omit, that Dr Millie of London, and the late Mr John Millar, professor of law in the university of Glasgow, are indebted for a portion of their fame, to the instructions they received in the schools of Hamilton.
The town is what is called a burgh of regality ; but the appointment of the magistrates rests entirely with the fa mily of Hamilton. It is governed by a first and second magistrate, with the assistance of a town-council, trea surer, and clerk. The population of the town was, in 1753, 3815 ; in 1792,5017 ; and it is now above 7000 souls. Some years ago a subscription library was established in Hamilton, owing pi incipally to the zealous exertions of Dr John Hume. The library is under the direction of a committee of management, who are chosen annually ; and the collection of books is multifarious and valuable. (h)