Hamilton House is the name of a Scottish country dance.
The name alludes to the peculiar succession of the earldom of Selkirk: if the Duke of Hamilton, head of the house, has a younger brother, the earldom passes to the latter rather than to the duke. Thus the earldom has on three occasions (1885, 1940, 1994) passed to a duke's brother. (If Lord Selkirk has a surviving son, the title descends normally.)
In the dance, the first lady (just widowed) sets off, dances with the new Duke and then turns his younger brother before coming back to line up between the new Duke and his wife. The concept behind the dance has nothing to do with flirting, however this can be an interesting side-line.
Famous quotes containing the words hamilton and/or house:
““Last night there was four Maries,
The night there’ll be but three;
There was Marie Seton, and Marie Beton,
And Marie Carmichael, and me.””
—Unknown. Mary Hamilton (l. 69–72)
“In another year I’ll have enough money saved. Then I’m gonna go back to my hometown in Oregon and I’m gonna build a house for my mother and myself. And join the country club and take up golf. And I’ll meet the proper man with the proper position. And I’ll make a proper wife who can run a proper home and raise proper children. And I’ll be happy, because when you’re proper, you’re safe.”
—Daniel Taradash (b. 1913)