New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-06-13
TFrom the National Inteutgencer.l
The Late STR VIM. Hamilton. Bart,

Sir William Hamilton, the Scotch philosopher died
on the 9th instant, at his residence in Great King
street, Edinburgh Scotland, after ten days Illness
By the death of this lsrious man the Of
Edinburgh has lost its most distinguished ornament,
and the world its greatest philosopher In no other
have been found the several Intellectual qualities
in anything like the same balanced proportion which
constituted Sir William Hamilton at once the most
subtle and profound of phiospers one of the ripest
Of scholars and one Of the most learned men in the
world Of letters. Notwithstanding the stupendous
amplitude of Sir William Hamiltonfs learning, it is
after ALL to his powerful and subtle genius that must
be asebed the peculiar value of his contributions to
philosophy and general scientific thought. 5stza$
1t is almost impossible to oYerrate the importance
of these contributions and besides the yalueof his
positive contributions to philosophy and more espe
eially to logic it is hard in our Judgment to over.es
innate the value Of the vista in the province of
speculation which he opened up by his of the
notions of the absolute the infinite and the uncon-
dtioned leading as it does to more comprehensive
and at the same time more accurate apprehension OF
the true limits of the movable AS a critic of sys-
tems as master of the older schools and Of the clas
sic sources of speculation and as taetican in phil
osophcal polemics, Sir William has no compeer. he
stands on the fields of controversy with none to match
him in the great olympics of Thought. AS the nYen
tor and franer of logic, in its true sense he stands
next to Aristotle himself and as the philosopher Of
logic elevating it to the dignity OF the science Of tile
laws of thought as thought, he must be placed far
above Aristotle and the logicians of all ages.
Sir Williams contributions to logic, even if his ac-
ademcal lectures have not been prepared for puhca-
tlon must sooner Or later, degrade to their proper
level such corptions of logic as the ponderous and
muddy treatise of j. S. Mill, and Danish from the
schools such shallow treatises as Whatley, and the
still shalloWer treatses to be found on the catalogues
OF our colleges As d psychologist and metaphy
scian both in grasp and subtlety he has superior
IN the great historical assembly of philosophers.
Aristotle, Bacon and Hamilton are now in our judg
ment, the three greatest names in the history of
philosophy.
This ilustrious man was born at Glasgow, Scotland
in the year l7Ss. From the university of that city
he passed to Balol College, Oxford. In this ancient
seat of learning he distinguished himself far above
all the students of his time. The vast compass and
depth of his attainments in philosophy and classic
lore his consunmate mastery especially of the Aris-
| totec treatses and commentaries, and his immense
general information, are amongst the traditional
| boasts of Oxford When he passed for his degree,
which he took with first class honors the examiners
declined to examine him as one whose attainmen!s
and consummate mastery in the prescribed studies
so superior to their own. In 1913 Sir William
was called to the Scotch bar; hut his practice was
never extensive as he preferred the serene heights
speculation to the dusty business of the forum
In 1870 he competed with John Wilson for the
chair OF moral philosophy in the University of Edin-
burgh, but failed of election. The next wear he was
appointed professor OF universal history III the unver
slty, and delivered at intervals course of lectures
SAID to have been marked by all the characteristics of
MS transcendent Accomplishments. In 1856 he was
appointed to the chair of logic and metaphysics,
which he occupied until his death. Sir William was
o lecturer OF great power. With q commanding per-
son and head and face of the finest mould, q voice
I OF compass and sweetness, every sentence full of
thought, the style model Of cleasness and concise
ness, the stern logic occasionally relieved BY graceful
illustrations he soon raised the University OF Edn
hurgh seat of philosophy to the prondest rank in
Europe. He is dead. but his thoughts will influence
| the minds of men forever.