COUNT RUMFORD. 147 



That Rumford went beyond these men is not to be 

 denied. It could not be otherwise with a spirit so 

 original and penetrating. But to speak of the space 

 between him and Aristotle as if it were a scientific 

 vacuum is surelj a mistake. 



While in Paris, Rumford made the acquaintance of 

 Madame Lavoisier, a lady of wealth, spirit, and social 

 distinction ; and, it is to be added, a lady of temper. Her 

 illustrious husband had suffered under the guillotine 

 on May 8, 1794; and inheriting his great name, to- 

 gether with a fortune of three million francs, she 

 gathered round her, in her receptions, the most dis- 

 tinguished society of Paris. She and Rumford became 

 friends, the friendship afterwards passing into what was 

 thought to be genuine affection. The Elector of Bavaria 

 took great interest in Rumford's projected marriage, 

 and when that consummation came near, settled upon 

 him an annuity of 4,000 florins. Before their mar- 

 riage he was joined by Madame Lavoisier at Munich, 

 whence they made a tour to Switzerland. In a letter 

 to his daughter he thus describes his bride-elect : * I 

 made the acquaintance of this very amiable woman 

 in Paris, who, I believe, would have no objection to 

 having me for a husband, and who in all respects 

 would be a proper match for me. She is a widow 

 without children, never having had any ; is about my 

 own age [she was four years younger than Rumford], 

 enjoys good health, is very pleasant in society, has a 

 handsome fortune at her own disposal, enjoys a most re- 

 spectable reputation, keeps a good house, which is 

 frequented by all the first philosophers and men of 

 eminence in the science and literature of the age, or 

 rather of Paris ; and, what is more than all the rest, 

 is goodness itself.' He goes on to describe her as 



