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- Sir Douglas Hamilton, 8th Duke of Hamilton was educated between 1763 and 1767 at Eton College, Eton, Berkshire, England . He succeeded to the title of 5th Baron of Dutton [G.B., 1711] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 5th Duke of Brandon [G.B., 1711] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 5th Lord Abernethy and Jedburgh Forest [S., 1633] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 5th Marquess of Douglas [S., 1633] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 5th Earl of Angus [S., 1633] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 8th Earl of Arran and Cambridge [S., 1643] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 8th Marquess of Clydesdale [S., 1643] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 8th Duke of Hamilton [S., 1643] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 7th Lord Machansyre and Polmont [S., 1639] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 7th Earl of Lanark [S., 1639] on 7 July 1769. He succeeded to the title of 8th Lord Aven and Innerdale [S., 1643] on 7 July 1769. Between 1772 and 1776 he resided on the Continent, under the care of Dr. Moore, father of Sir John Moore. He held the office of Keeper of Linlithgow Palace in 1777. In 1782 he was adjudged entitled to sit in the British House of Lords. He was invested as a Knight, Order of the Thistle (K.T.) on 23 December 1785. He succeeded to the title of 2nd Baron Hamilton of Hameldon, co. Leicester [G.B., 1776] on 20 December 1790. He held the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Lanarkshire between 1794 and 1799. He and Harriet Pye Bennett were associated circa 1795. He gained the rank of Colonel in 1798 in the service of the British Army.
According to Cokayne, "Dr. Moore wrote of his charge during their travels in Europe, 'he has many amenable Qualities and an excellent understanding-his fort is Quickness and penetration into character which often surpises me; his foible is a love of show and an uncontrollable desire for every new object, but however becomes insipid as soon as it is acquired ... He is not fond of the Company of his Superiors either in Rank or Understanding. The first put him under Restarint and the others offend his amour propre ... he is sometimes pevish yet his Temper is not bad, and his dispositions aremuch better than his Temper. He cannot bear contradiction, nad is subject to violent gusts of Passion but is incapable of harbouring malice or Revenge ... The Duke is fitted for the best Company in every sense of the word-among such he is Polite, Modest and Judicious. But with the other class his behaviour may be construed as self-sufficient, arrogant and capricious. " Cockayne adds "Lady North writes to Lady Gower on 4 Oct. 1772, 'the Duke of Hamilton is a very pretty young man, perfectly unaffected and well bred, and I dare say will turn out vastly well'. In the Royal Register, 1781, it is stated that his marriage was carried out in opposition not only to the wishes but to the strategems of the Duke's mother, who 'was of the opinion that the daughter of a private gentleman, however accomplished, was not qualified to be alllied to her. Her first husband however was of a different obscurity. It is confidently said that the Duke is now heartily sick of the adventure'. He was fond of boxing, and of low company, and gave dinners to hackney coachmen. 'This nobleman was one of the handsomest men of his day, but having allowed himself to be led astray by the spirit of dissipation, his health was gradually undermined and he died in 1799 in the flower of his age. "
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