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." l 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. 2 



American history and poetry remember his son, the half- 

 brother of Smithson, who 



" Fought for King George at Lexington, 

 A Major of Dragoons," 3 



1 See " Annals of the House of Percy," by troops which saved the retreat from Concord 

 Edward Barrington de Fonblanque, London, made a strong impression upon the fathers 

 1887, Volume II, page 531, and Appendix of New England who fought on the memor- 

 xxvi, citing Collins's [Peerage] 5th edition. able day, and is often mentioned. This asso- 



2 The Duke showed the independence of ciation of the story of the defeat and pursuit 

 his character, as well as the soundness of his of the British troops with the name of Percy, 

 judgment as a statesman, by opposing the in the minds of the rustic victors, is alluded 

 party in power upon the question of war with to by Lowell : 



the Colonies, obtaining leave of absence for 



his son, Lord Percy, who was ordered to " Old Joe is gone, who saw hot Percy goad 



America. Of this, however, Lord Percy re- His slow artillery up the Concord road . . . 



fused to avail himself, contending that he Had Joe lived long enough, that scram- 



could not at such a juncture withdraw. He bling fight 



accordingly embarked for Boston in the Had squared more nearly with his sense 



spring of 1774, and his journal and letters of right, 



during the succeeding years throw light upon And vanquished Percy, to complete the 



many of the incidents of the struggle. tale, 



3 The fact that the heir of the house of Had hammered stone for life in Concord 

 Percy commanded the force of the British jail." 



