Travels Through North America 



years retired from the world, in a remote wilderness, se- 

 questered from all polished society; and perhaps might not 

 feel himself perfectly at ease, when he came into large 

 parties of ladies, where ceremony and form were to be ob- 

 served; but he had not forgot those accomplished manners 

 which he had acquired in his early youth; at Leeds Castle, 

 at the university, and in the army. His motive for settling 

 in America was of the most noble and heroic kind. It was, 

 as he always himself declared, to settle and cultivate that 

 beautiful and immense tract of country, of which he was the 

 proprietor; and in this he succeeded beyond his most san- 

 guine expectations, for the Northern Neck was better 

 peopled, better cultivated, and more improved, than any 

 other part of the dominion of Virginia. Lord Fairfax lived 

 to extreme old age at Greenway Court, universally beloved, 

 and died as universally lamented, in January or February 

 1782, in the 92d year of his age. He was buried I believe 

 at Winchester, where he had so often and so honourably 

 presided as judge of the court. He bequeathed Greenway 

 Court to his nephew Colonel Martin, who has since con- 

 stantly resided there; and his barony descended to his only 

 surviving brother Robert Fairfax, to whom he had before 

 consigned Leeds Castle, and his other English estates. 



Robert, seventh Lord Fairfax, died at Leeds Castle in 

 1 791, and bequeathed that noble mansion, and its appen- 

 dages, to his nephew the reverend Denny Martin, who has 

 since taken the name of Fairfax, and is still living. 



The barony or title by regular descent is vested in Brian 

 Fairfax, third son of William Fairfax above mentioned, 

 who lives in Virginia; and of whom more will be said in the 

 sequel. 



[206] 



