then in the world, he would not take off his wedding gloves to embrace her. 202
FitzGerald, James, 20th Earl of Kildare, and 1st Duke of Leinster, son of preceding, was born 29th May 1722. He laid the foundations of Leinster House, Dublin, saying, when told that it was in an unfashionable part of the town, "They will follow me wherever I go." In consequence of a spirited remonstrance to the King relative to the disposition of the large unappropriated surplus of Irish revenue, he became one of the most popular men in Ireland — a medal being struck in his honour. He was created a Marquis in 1761, and Duke of Leinster in 1766. He died in Leinster House, 19th November 1773, aged 51, and was buried in Christ Church. In 1746 he married Lady Emily Mary Lennox, daughter of the Duke of Richmond, sister of Lady Holland, Lady Louisa Conolly, and Lady Sarah Napier. They had nine sons and ten daughters. She survived the Duke many years, and married William Ogilvy, by whom she had two daughters. She died 27th March 1814. 202
FitzGerald, William Robert, 2nd Duke of Leinster, the second son of the preceding, was born in London, 2nd March 1749. Upon the death of his elder brother in 1765 he became Earl of Offaly; and when his father was created Duke in 1766, Marquis of Kildare. In 1767 he was elected member for Dublin, and continued to be a member of the House of Commons until his father's death in 1773. He held many important offices connected with the State, was one of the generals of the Volunteers, and on the institution of the order of St. Patrick in 1783 was the first of the original knights. Upon the Union, he received £28,800 compensation for the disfranchisement of Kildare and Athy. He died 20th October, 1804, aged 55, leaving a family of five sons and eight daughters. Barrington says: "His disposition and address combined almost every quality which could endear him to the nation; . . he always intended right. . . Something approaching to regal honours attended his investiture" [as a General of the Volunteers]. 21 202
FitzGerald, Lord Edward, twelfth child of the 1st Duke of Leinster, and brother of preceding, was born at Whitehall, London, 15th October 1763. At the age of sixteen he accompanied his mother and step-father (Mr. Ogilvy) to France. The latter superintended his studies, which were chiefly directed to the acquisition of knowledge that would fit him for a military career. In 1779 they returned to England, and Lord Edward received a commission in a militia regiment of which his uncle, the Duke of Richmond, was colonel. In 1780 he was appointed to a lieutenancy in the 26th Regiment. Soon after joining at Youghal, he exchanged into the 19th, then under orders for America, and in June 1781 sailed for Charleston. His letters from America exhibit ardent enthusiasm for the military profession and the warmest affection towards his mother, to whom they were written. He distinguished himself in an engagement with the United States commander. Colonel Lee, and was soon appointed Aide-de-camp on Lord Rawdon's staff. Probably the success of the American colonists in fighting against regular troops, led him in after years to the conviction that his countrymen in Ireland could cope with them with a similar result. He brought with him from America a negro servant, "the faithful Tony," who followed his after fortunes with devoted affection. Indeed Lord Edward had a singular power of attaching to himself all who came within his influence. In 1783 he visited the West Indies. A few months afterwards he returned home, finding that his hopes of promotion lay in Europe. In the autumn of the same year he entered Parliament for Athy, and for the two following years resided chiefly at Frescati, Blackrock. He derived a moderate income from the rents of his estate of Kilrush in the County of Kildare. In the spring of 1786 he took the then unusual step for a young nobleman of entering the Military College, Woolwich. In 1787 he visited Gibraltar, and travelled in Portugal and Spain. In May 1788 he joined his regiment, the 54th, in Nova Scotia, and for a year was stationed at New Brunswick, Halifax, Quebec, and Montreal. He wrote to his mother: "I grow fonder of my profession the more I see of it, and like being Major much better than Lieutenant-Colonel, for I only execute the commands of others." Cobbett was then Sergeant-Major of the 54th, and afterwards wrote of him: "Lord Edward was a most humane and excellent man, and the only really honest officer I ever knew in the army." In April 1789, with Tony and a brother officer, he explored the country from Frederickstown, New Brunswick, to Quebec, camping out. He accomplished the journey of 175 miles in twenty-six days, and established a shorter practicable route than that hitherto followed. In June he sojourned amongst the Indians near Detroit, and was made an honorary chief of the Bear Tribe. In December he arrived at New Orleans, and finding it impracticable to proceed to Spanish America, returned to Ireland. The simplicity of
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