The sun., 1916-10-22
Allan McLane
Hamilton's Keen
Observations of
Famous Men and
Women Known in
a Long Life-..F1is
Comments on In
sanity Testimony
and Notorious
Cases

MI In DIR. Allan McI-ane Hamil-
tons "Recollections Of an
Alienist" George II. Doran Company.
His social and professional connections
and his avocations have brought him
into relations with celebrities Of all
kinds In New York and other parts Of
The world. and ne has recollections
about them all. His book gives pic
lures Of the New York that was and
records anecdotes innumerable.
DR.. Hamilton is a grandson Of Alex
ander Hamilton. The latter was born
In 1856. 30 that three generations
oover 16s years. DIR. Hamilton was
born in Williamsburg. then a country
village. apd at the end OF the street
where he lived there was a sandy
q where they went swimming.
n region Is now given up to tall and
ugly factories and warehouses.
His father was Philip Hamilton.
youngest son OF Alexander, a lawyer
whose practice was largely In admi-
rally cases. commanding stature,
with silvery white hair and closely
cropped whiskers, my father made an
imposing appearance in the blue suit
Of naval cut that he usually wore,
with a Gladstone collar and black
stock. He always carried a gold
headed maiacca stick and a large red
silk handkerchief with white
na,,,r -.rl, ALL - - -.
used for the ordinary but
TO signal with upon every needed &C.
casion or az an outlet for the express
sion Of his elated emotions-it was, in
tact, a part OF the man."
He was a yachtsman and sailed the
America in many Of her YIN out
cruises before she went to England
and won the cup.
DR.. Hamilton's mother was a daugh-
Ter of Louis McI.ane Of Delaware, who
Was Minister to England and about
whom Tom Moore recorded the follow
ing anecdote In his diary:
II forgot to tell Lady Holland what
! had In coming up the avenue fully
resolved not to forget, namely. the
following anecdote. Among other
stories told to the glory OF the
reforming monarch William W. II
10 generally stated that McLane. the
American Ambassador. said to his
Majesty, I little thought, Sire. I should
live to see the day when should
envy a Monarch In paying a visit
at McLane's the other morning I mem
toned the currency OF this anecdote;
on which Mrs. Mclean twho is a very
amiable. natural person. said. 1t is
true that MI. Mclean said he envied
the King. but IL was not on the reform
question. but 1t was. I am ashamed to
say. on seeing the King kiss Lady
Lilford.'"
OF Alexander Hamilton's widow DR..
Hamilton writes:
Previous to her death, In 1855, my
Grandmother Hamilton came
dimes to see us in Williamsburg. and
then l was entertained by stories Of
her early life, and she read me letters
from Dolly Madison, who wrote In a
queer, small hand. 1t was difficult to
connect the little aged woman. dressed
in quiet bombazine dress, wearing
large iron trimmed spectacles. and car
rying the reticule that was universal
In those days, with the sprightly. beau
6ful creature described eighty years
before by Tench Tilghman and Roche
eoucauld- Liancourt.
after her husbands death, when
she exchanged the Grange for prop
srty down In the heart Of the city
below Canal street, her life was de-
voted to charity. She II was who with
others built the first orphan asylum In
New York, and who literally impov-
erished herself for the poor. by her
father, Gen. Philip Schuyler's, will she
inherited not only large tracts Of land
in Saratoga county and at Oswego
but houses and lots In New York al
we'll, and all of this was sold and given
away In aims, so that had she not ulti-
mately been awarded her husbands
back paw in the army, which amounted
70 about ten thousand dollars, she
would have been penniless."
In August, 1862, DR.. Hamilton saw
Lincoln and records this impression of
him:
while my father and brother were
talking I watched the interesting face
opposite me and was fascinated by
the warty growth upon one side of
his face and amused by his hearty
laughter, which he himself said to
some one on another occasion was the
.1oyous universal OF Life.
At other times there was only a whim-
sical smile. his eyes indicating nothing
hut a kind of far of dreamlness and