DOWNSHIRE.. 169 Joint Postmaster-Gen., 1706-68 ; Sec. of State for the Colonies, 1768-72. On 28 Aug. 1772, he was cr. VISCOUNT FAIRFORD, eo. Gloucester, and EARL OF HILLS- BOROUGH [G.B.]. Sec. of State for the South, 1779 tol782(") (being, as such, one of Lord North's administration during the close of the war with America), when he finally retired from office. On 20 Aug. 1789, he was cr. MARQUESS OF DOWN- SHIRE [I ] He was F.R.S., 1764 ; D.C.L., Oxford, 21 May 1771 ; Registrar of the Court of Chancery [L] j Hereditary Constable of Hillsborough Fort, &c. Ho m. firstly, 1 March 1747/8, Margaretta, sister of James, 1st Duke ok Leinster [I.], da. of Robert (FitzGerald), 19th Earl of Kildarb [I.], by Mary, da. of William (O'Brien), 3d Earl of Incwquin [I.] She, who was b. 2 July 1729, d. 19 Jauy. 1706, at Naples. He m- secondly, 14 Oct. 1768, Mary, suojure Baroness Stawell of Somerton (see that dignity, cr, 21 May 1760), widow of the Rt. Hon. Henry BlLSON-LKfiGB. She, who was b. 27 Jany. 1728, d. 29 July 17S0, in Hanover sq., Midx. Will (as Countess of Hillsborough), pr. Aug. 17S0. The Marquess d. 7 Oct. 1793, in his 75th year at Hillsborough^') " very rich both in property which he could and in that which he could not alienate. ( c ) [Marcus (Hill), styled Viscount Kilwarlin, 1st s. and h. ap. by 1st wife, b. 21 Feb. 1752, in London ; d. ail infant, 18 and was bur. 20 April 1750, at Hackney, Midx.] II. 1793. 2, Arthur (Hill), Marquess of Downshire, &c. [I.], also Earl of Hillsborough, &c, 2d but only surv. s. and h. by first wife, b. 3 March 1753, at 15, Hanover Sp., Midx., styled Viscount Kilwarllv, 1756-72, Viscount Fairford 1772-S9, and Earl of Hillsborough, 17S9-1S03; matric. at Oxford (Mag. Coll.), 18 May 1771 (as "Arthur Hill,") and was cr. M.A. 9 July 1773; sometime an ofiicer in the army; M.P. for Lostwitbiel, 1771-80, for Malmesbury, 1780-81, being M.P. [I.], for co. Down, 1776-93 ; High Sheriff co. Down, 17S5 ; Lord Lieut, co. Down, 1793-1800. P. C. [I.], 1793 ; F.R.S., 1790 ; Registrar of the Court of Chancery [I.], &c. He m. 29 June 1786, at St. Maryleboue, Mary, da. and h. of Col. the Hon. Martin Sandys, by Mary, da. and h. of William Trumbull, of Easthampstead Park, Berks, and Mary, da. and coheir of Montague (Blundell), Viscount Bluxdell [I.] The Marquess d. 7 Sep. 1801, aged 48, in Ireland. Will pr. Feb. 1802. His widow, who was b. 19 Sep. 1864, having, on the death of her nuole, Edwiu (SaSDYs), 2d Baron Sandys of Omberslry, in 1797, site, to the estates of that family, was cr. 19 June 1S02, BARONESS SANDYS OF OMBERSLEY, co. Worcester, with a spec. rem. of that Barony. She d. 1 Aug. 1836, at Downshire House, Roehampton, Surrey. Will pr. Sep. 1836. III. 1801. 3. Arthur - Bluxdell - Sandys - Trumbull (Hill), Marquess of Downshire, &c. [I.], also Earl of Hillsborough, &c, 1st s. and h., b. 8 Oct. 1788, ill Hanover sq., Midx. ; stylctl EaRL of Hillsborough, 1793-1801 ; ed. at Eton and at Ch. Ch., Oxford ; matric. 27 April 1S07 ; cr. M.A., 14 June 1809 ; cr. D.C.L., 3 J uly 1810 ; Bearer of the second sword at the Coronation of William IV, 8 Sep. 1831 ; Lord Lieut, of co. Down, 1831 ; Col. of the South ( a ) In 1782 the Secretaryship for the American department was abolished by Act of Pari. ( b ) The following character of this highly favoured person, who obtained for himself one Barony, two Viscountcies, two Earldoms, and one Marquessate (the same number of peerages as were conferred on Wellington, twice as many as on Nelson) is given by Sir N. W. Wraxall in his " Memoirs," vol. i, p. 381 ; " The Earl of Hillsborough, who held the Southern department, was a man of elegant manners and wanted neither ability nor attention to public business, but his natural endowments, however solid, did not rise above mediocrity. He had owed his political, as well as personal elevation in life, more to his good sense, penetration, suavity, and address, than to any intellectual superiority. At St. James' he was more at home than at Westminster, and might rather be esteemed an accomplished courtier than a superior minister." Horace Walpole says of him (as early as 1751) that " a solemnity in his voice and manner made much impression on his hearers." As to his partiality for "a nap" see vol. i, p. 352, note " a," sub " Bcssborough." ( c ) " Annual Register " for 1793.
