32 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



COUNT EUMFOKD 



BY JOHN CANDEE DEAN 

 INDIANAPOLIS, IND. 



THE annals of history do not record many geniuses who, with so 

 little effort, and in so short a period of time, attained the high 

 position occupied by Benjamin Thompson. In England he became 

 colonel in the army, under secretary of state, knight, fellow of the 

 Royal Society, founder of the Royal Institution. In Bavaria, minister 

 of war, major general, count of the Holy Roman Empire ; counselor of 

 state, chief of state. In France, member of the Institute of France 

 and lecturer at the Academy of Sciences. 



Thompson was born on a farm at Woburn, Mass., in 1753. His 

 father died when he was an infant, and his mother, having but a 

 narrow income, took him from school before he was thirteen years of 

 age and apprenticed him to a merchant at Salem. His thirst for 

 knowledge was even then insatiable, and he found it impossible to 

 apply himself to anything except his favorite subjects of study. 



His scientific work began at Salem, where his zeal for experiment- 

 ing nearly ended his career. Having undertaken to prepare some fire- 

 Avorks for celebrating the repeal of the Stamp Act, the ingredients of a 

 mortar exploded, burning his face so seriously that it was thought that 

 his eyesight had been destroyed, but in a few weeks he recovered. 



The impending American revolution put a stop to his master's 

 trade, and he thereupon left Salem for Boston where he continued his 

 studies, to which he added medicine, anatomy, French fencing and 

 other accomplishments, meantime supplying himself with necessary 

 funds by teaching school in adjoining New England towns. He 

 allowed himself but seven hours' sleep, the remainder of the twenty- 

 four hours being devoted systematically to reading, study, experiments 

 and exercise. 



The American revolutionary period was prolific of great men. 

 Washington, Franklin, Jefferson and Thompson were produced from a 

 population of less than three millions. It is doubtful whether the 

 vast population of the western hemisphere has since produced one man 

 to rank with these four gifted men. 



When nineteen years of age Thompson moved to Concord, New 

 Hampshire, where he continued his profession of teaching. Here he 

 met Mrs. Rolf, a young, attractive and wealthy widow to whom he 

 was soon married. Among the prominent people whose esteem he won 



