1883.] on Count Biimford, Originator of the Hoyal Institution. 417 



' God save the J^ing,' the artillery fired a royal salute, and the cere- 

 mony was ended." * 



Many complaints have been made of the behaviour of the troops 

 [luring their stay at Long Island, New York. But war is always 

 horrible ; and it is pretty clear, from the account of Dr. Ellis, that 

 the complaints had no other foundation than events inseparable 

 from the carrying on of war. In the statement of Thompson's 

 case, his biographer, extenuatin • nothing, and setting down naught 

 in malice, winds up his third chapter with these words : " Having 

 thus pronounced upon him as in opposition, in act, to himself 

 and his convictions, I may add to such praise as is due to him as a 

 good soldier, quick and true and bold in action, and faithful to the 

 government which he served, the higher tribute that from the hour 

 when the war closed, he became, and ever continued to be, the con- 

 stant friend and generous benefactor of his native country." 



Early in April 1783, he obtained leave to return to England, 

 but, finding there no opportunity for active service, he resolved 

 to try his fortune on the Continent, intending to offer his services as 

 a volunteer in the Austrian army against the Turks. The historian 

 Gibbon crossed the Channel with him. In a letter dated Dover, 

 September 17th, 1783, Gibbon writes thus : — " Last night, the wind 

 was so high that the vessel could not stir from the harbour; this day 

 it is brisk and fair. We are flattered with the hope of making Calais 

 Harbour by the same tide in three hours and a half; but any delay 

 will leave the disagreeable option of a tottering boat or a tossing 

 night. What a cursed thing to live in an island ! this step is more 

 awkward than the whole journey. The triumvirate of this memorable 

 embarkation will consist of the grand Gibbon, Henry Laurens, Esq., 

 President of Congress; and Mr. Secretary, Colonel, Admiral, Phi- 

 losopher Thompson, attended by three horses, who are not the most 

 agreeable fellow-passengers. If we survive, I will finish and seal my 

 letter at Calais. Our salvation shall be ascribed to the prayers of 

 my lady and aunt, for I do believe they both pray." The " grand 

 Gibbon " is reported to have been terribly frightened bj the plunging 

 of his fellow-passengers, the three blood horses. 



Thompson pushed on to Strasburg, where Prince Maximilian of 

 Bavaria, then a field marshal in the service of France, was in garrison. 

 As on a former occasion in his native country, Thompson, mounted 

 on one of his chargers, appeared on the parade ground. He attracted 

 the attention of the Prince, who spoke to him, and, on learning that he 

 had been serving in the American war, pointed to some of his officers, 

 and remarked that they had been in the same war. An animated 

 conversation immediately began, at the end of which Thompson was 



* Whether Thompson at tliis time made any effort to communicate with the 

 members of his own family is not known. To do so would have been difficult, 

 but not impossible. 



