Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hamilton, Charles (1697-1733)
HAMILTON, CHARLES, (by courtesy) Lord Binning (1697–1733), poet, born in 1697, was eldest son of Thomas Hamilton, sixth earl of Haddington [q. v.], by his wife Helen, only daughter of John Hope of Hopetoun. He was carefully educated. In 1715 he joined his father in suppressing the Jacobite rising, and fought gallantly at Sheriffmuir (13 Nov.) He was elected M.P. for St. Germains, Cornwall, in 1722, and was afterwards knight marischal of Scotland, and a commissioner of trade. Signs of consumption making their appearance, Binning went to Naples. He died there on 13 Jan. 1732-3, in his father's lifetime. By his wife Rachel, youngest daughter of George Baillie of Jerviswood, he had five sons and three daughters. His eldest son Thomas succeeded his grandfather in 1735 as seventh earl of Haddington.
A popular pastoral poem by Binning, entitled 'Ungrateful Nanny,' first appeared in the 'Gentleman's Magazine' for 1741, and was republished by Ritson in his 'Scottish Songs,' 1794. Another poem, 'The Duke of Argyle's Levee,' which appeared in the same periodical for 1740, although often assigned to Binning, was from the pen of Joseph Mitchell [q. v.] (cf. Lord Hailes in Edinburgh Mag., April 1786). Binning is the subject of a fine elegy by William Hamilton of Bangour (1704–1754) [q. v.] An admirable portrait, engraved by A. V. Haecken after a painting by J. Richardson, dated 1722, is in Walpole's 'Royal and Noble Authors.'
[Walpole's Royal and Noble Authors, ed. Park, v. 142 sq.; Douglas's Peerage of Scotland, ed. Wood, i. 683-4; Anderson's Scottish Nation, ii. 442; Ritson's Scottish Songs.]