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for printing| William Hamilton's mother was Elizabeth Stirling
and his father, the professor of anatomy in the University of
Glasgow, was named William Hamilton. William, the subject of
this biography, was one year older than his brother Thomas, and
in 1790 William Hamilton senior died and Elizabeth had to bring
up the two young boys on her own. She :- ... was entirely equal
to the task; there is no evidence that the family ever felt
either financial anxiety or the absence of a father's hand.
William was educated at a variety of Scottish and English
schools before entering the University of Glasgow when he was 12
years old to study Greek and Latin. At this time the Scottish
Universities competed with the schools for the most able pupils
so it is not surprising that he entered university at such a
young age. He continued to study logic and moral philosophy at
Glasgow befor