122 Professor TifndaU [May 3, 10, and 17, 



was thoneht that he was dvincr. and one dav while in this condition, 

 his attcnnon was attracted by the confused noise of a passing multitude 

 in the street. It was the poor of Munich who were going in procession 

 to the church to put up public prayers for him. " Public prayers ! '' 

 he exclaims, ~ for me, a prirate person, a stranger, a Protestant I " Four 

 years afterwards, when he was dangerously ill at Xaples, the people, of 

 their o^n accord, s^ apart an hour each evening, after they had finished 

 their lal>:»ur5 in the military workhouse, to pray for his recovery. 

 Men find pleasure in e*" '-^? ^^^ powers they possess, and 



Eumford possessed, in its h _ - ' -: form, the power of 



organisation. The relief of t^ - j_ - . _ . , -.]^<ied his attention for 



years, was pursued by him as a scientific inquiry. He differentiates 

 the people who have fair claims upon the State from those whose 

 mfirmity and incapacity render continuous assistance necessary, but 

 who cannot be aid^ by compulsory taxati- n. In this case the prompt- 

 ings of hmnanity must be invoked. Persc»ns of high rank ought here 

 to take the lead, combining with those immediately below them to 

 secore efficient supervision and relief. The expense thus incurred is 

 STiiall oomr«are»i with that incidental to beggary and its concomitant 

 : ■ ""--^ z Thompson's hope and confidence never forsook hJTn- He faced 

 7 '^^ blems from which less daring spirits woidd b\ve re- 

 i Tind i.nbtingl V that " anaTigem-nt, method, provision 

 for the L details, subordination, co-operation, and a careful 



system of s: ?, will facilitate and make effective any undertaking, 



however comprehensive." Such a statement would 



surelv have e. bravo from Carlvle, In him flexible wisdom 



for: " vkih despotic strength. With skill and resolution 



the u^^cCLi : : benevolence must be made to contribute as far 



as possT"' :_-_r own support. The homeliest details do not 



escape ': He comm^ '^ ^= well dressed vegetables as a cheap 



and w„ 1 ;,„e form of l n. He descants upon the potato, he 



gives rules for the c-ons:: i.:. ju of soup-kitchens, and determines 

 the nutritive value of different kinds of food. During his bov- 

 hood at Wobum he had learnt the use of Iniian com, and at 

 Munich he strongly rec-ommends the dumplings, bread, and hasty 

 pfndding that may be made from maize. Pure love of humanity would 

 at first Fight, seem to ha^e been the motive force of Thompson's action. 

 >"::-!. it has b: 'i ' ^-raed bv those who knew him that he did not 

 : _- 1 've his i.^ : .■^^. His work had for him the fascination ''•f 



- _ - ^--la above :_. '.ties of most men, but which he felt himsvli 



able to solve. It was =ii i to bs the work of his intellect, not of his 

 In refert:. . Cuvier quotes what Fontenelle said of 



Dodard, who t ~ rigid obeerrance of the fasts of the Church 



into a scientific exT>fcriment on the effects of abstinence, therebv takinc' 

 which - " . to heaven and into the French Academv. 



-L 2 this as a complete account of 



t- ~- — — - -lerlv environs of Munich a wild and nejzlected 



