James Smithson 19 



with the hope that it would bring some compensation for the 

 accident of birth. 



The most important act of his life was the execution of this 

 will, a copy of which follows : 



THE WILL OF JAMES SMITHSON. 



" I JAMES SMITHSON Son to Hugh, first Duke of Northumber- 

 land, & Elizabeth, Heiress of the Hungerfords of Studley, 

 & Niece to Charles the proud Duke of Somerset, now 

 residing in Bentinck Street, Cavendish Square, do this 

 twenty-third day of October, one thousand eight hundred 

 and twenty-six, make this my last Will and Testament: 



" I bequeath the whole of my property of every nature & 

 kind soever to my bankers, Messrs. Drummonds of Charing 

 Cross, in trust, to be disposed of in the following manner, and 

 I desire of my said Executors to put my property under the 

 management of the Court of Chancery. 



" To John Fitall, formerly my Servant, but now employed 

 in the London Docks, and residing at No. 27, Jubilee Place, 

 North Mile end, old town, in consideration of his attach- 

 ment & fidelity to me, & the long & great care he has taken 

 of my effects, & my having done but very little for him, I 

 give and bequeath the Annuity or annual sum of One hundred 

 pounds sterling for his life, to be paid to him quarterly, free 

 of legacy duty & all other deductions, the first payment to be 

 made to him at the expiration of three months after my death. 

 I have at divers times lent sums of money to Henry Honore 

 Sailly, formerly my Servant, but now keeping the Hunger- 

 ford Hotel, in the rue Caumartin at Paris, & for which sums 

 of money I have undated bills or bonds signed by him. Now, 

 I will & direct that if he desires it, these sums of money be 

 let remain in his hands at an Interest of five per cent, for five 

 years after the date of the present Will. 



"To Henry James Hungerford, my Nephew, heretofore 

 called Henry James Dickinson, son to my late brother, 

 Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Louis Dickinson, now residing 



