(1751 - 99), o. surv. s. of 4th D. of Leeds; sty. M. of Carmarthen 1761 - 89 when suc. fa. as 5th D.; educ. Westminster and Ch.Ch. Oxf. 1767; FRS 1773; m. 1 1773 Ldy. Amelia Darcy, dau. of 4th E. of Holderness (diss. 1779), 2 1788 Catherine Anguish; MP 1774 - 5; Dilettanti 1774; FSA 1776; amb. to Paris 1783; KG 1790.
1769 - 71 Florence (Nov. 1769), Naples (May - Oct. 1770), Florence (by Nov. 1770 - 27 Feb. 1771) with visit to Pisa in Dec.; Genoa (23 Mar.), Milan (Apr.), Venice (May 1771)
1794 Rome (Oct.)
An amiable nobleman of moderate abilities and capricious disposition (DNB), Lord Carmarthen first went to Italy in 1769 with his tutor, the Rev. Thomas Crofts. They were in Florence in November 17691 and spent the following summer in Naples, remaining there until October 1770.2 In November Crofts wrote from Florence to William Hamilton at Naples, announcing a plan to follow the Court to Pisa in mid-December, 'for a few days Trial: I fancy my Lord on the Experiment will prefer Florence, tho' (thank God) here will be no Duchesses'.3 Carmarthen's pamphlets 'Political Intelligence January 1771' and 'Annual Register' (a squib on European events) were both written in Florence.4 Crofts wrote to Hamilton on the eve of their departure from Florence: 'My Lord has had his fill of Dancing & Music but most sagely avoided Attachedment of any sort. We decamp tomorrow and shall spend these two months in traversing Lombardy. A letter will find me either at Mr Holfords at Genoa [James Holford, the British consul] about the end of the Month, or chez Annoni & Perego ? Milano till about the 7th of April or chez Jean Michel Wagner ? Venise till the 11th of May ... Mr [the Hon. Frederick] Irby brings the money for my Lord's Pictures which you will be so good as to direct him where to pay'.5 Carmarthen and Crofts arrived in Genoa on 23 March 1771.6 In June 1773 Hamilton told his nephew that 'Lord Carmarthen's pictures are with the painter Antoniani [?Pietro Antoniani], waiting for his Lordship's directions'.7 A plate in Piranesi's Vasi, Candelabri, Cippi [1778] is dedicated to Carmarthen, 'amatore delle belle arti'.
As 5th Duke of Leeds, he was again in Rome in October 1794, see George, Marquess of Carmarthen.
1. Gazz.Tosc., 18 Nov. 1769. P. Brydone, Tour through Sicily and Malta, [1773], 1:24. 2. SP 105/320, f.120 (Hamilton, 12 Jun. 1770). Add.41197, f.167 (Crofts, 25 Nov. 1770). 3. Crofts (at n2). 4. Add.27916 (1); Add.28570 (1). 5. Add.41197, f.175 (26 Feb. 1771). 6. L. Melville, Life and Letters of Smollett, 247. 7. Morrison, 1:21 (no.30).