JOURNAL 
OF THE 
ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY 
OF ENGLAND. 
CHARLES, SECOND VISCOUNT 
TOWNSHEND. 
The portrait which serves as a frontispiece to this Volume is 
taken from an engraving after Sir Godfrey Kneller of Charles, 
second Viscount Townshend, who holds a distinguished position 
amongst the pioneers of British Agriculture. The full inscrip- 
tion below the print is “ The Bight Ilon’‘^\ Charles Lord 
■ Viscount Totvnshend. G. Kneller 8. B. Imp. et Mag. Brit. 
Baronet^ Pinx. J. Simon fecit. Cum privilegio Begis. "Soldhy 
B. Cooper at the 3 Pigeons in Bedford Street^' 
Charles Townshend, who succeeded his father as second 
Viscount Townshend when he was only ten years of age, was 
born in 1676. He died in 1738. His place in the history of 
British farming is described in a subsequent article, but the 
following personal details concerning him may be of interest. 
As a statesman he filled a prominent position at a critical 
period. As early as 1702 his political consequence was such 
that he was named as Lord Privy Seal in a Whig Administra- 
tion which William III. endeavoured to form shortly before his 
death; in 1705 he was appointed one of the Queen’s Commis- 
sioners to treat for the Union with Scotland ; and in 1709, as 
joint plenipotentiary with Marlborough, he signed the Peace of 
Gertruydenberg. In the same year he became Ambassador at 
the Hague, and in that capacity negotiated the famous Barrier 
Treaty. 
In 1714, on the accession of George I., he became Secretary 
of State and in effect Prime Minister. Two years later, for 
VOL. m. T. s.— 9 B 
