James Smithson 5 



Northumberland did indeed entitle himself to the gratitude 

 of those within the influence of his kindly rule. 



"He found the country almost a desert," says the Bishop 

 of Dromore, "and he clothed it with woods and improved it 

 with agriculture."^ For more than twenty years he is said 

 to have planted annually over twelve hundred trees; he im- 

 ported specimens of hitherto unknown timber, fruits, and 

 flowers from various parts of the world, and expended large 

 sums not only in the reclamation and drainage of lands, but 

 in the improvement of the dwellings of his laborers, at a time 

 when the physical comfort or moral well-being of the poor 

 rarely occupied the thoughts of the lords of the soil. 



He showed a like ability in his dealings with the Crown, 

 which procured him the unprecedented step from the baro- 

 netcy to the dukedom, and in every part of his life (with which 

 we are not further concerned here) he showed himself an ex- 

 ceptionally able man.^ 



American history and poetry remember his son, the half- 

 brother of Smithson, who — 



" Fought for King George at Lexington, 

 A Major of Dragoons,"^ 



1 See " Annals of the House of Percy," by 

 Edward Harrington de Fonblanque, London, 

 1887, Volume II, page 531, and Appendix 

 XXVI, citing Collins's [Peerage] 5th edition. 



2 The Duke showed the independence of 

 his character, as well as the soundness of his 

 judgment as a statesman, by opposing the 

 party in power upon the question of war with 

 the Colonies, obtaining leave of absence for 

 his son, Lord Percy, who was ordered to 

 America. Of this, however, Lord Percy re- 

 fused to avail himself, contending that he 

 could not at such a juncture withdraw. He 

 accordingly embarked for Boston in the 

 spring of 1774, and his journal and letters 

 during the succeeding years throw light upon 

 many of the incidents of the struggle. 



3 The fact that the heir of the house of 

 Percy commanded the force of the British 



T* 



troops which saved the retreat from Concord 

 made a strong impression upon the fathers 

 of New England who fought on the memor- 

 able day, and is often mentioned. This asso- 

 ciation of the story of the defeat and pursuit 

 of the British troops with the name of Percy, 

 in the minds of the rustic victors, is alluded 

 to by Lowell : 



" Old Joe is gone, who saw hot Percy goad 



His slow artillery up the Concord road . . . 



Had Joe lived long enough, that scram- 

 bling fight 



Had squared more nearly with his sense 

 of right, 



And vanquished Percy, to complete the 

 tale. 



Had hammered stone for life in Concord 

 jail." 



