

BENJAMIN THOMPSON, COUNT RUMFORD 13 



philosophy, and in teaching school at Wilmington and Bradford. 

 The program of daily duties that he drew up for himself is so 

 characteristic of the methodical and industrious disposition of 

 his whole life as to be worth quoting; 



"From eleven to six, Sleep. Get up at six o'clock and wash my 

 hands and face. From six to eight, exercise one half and study 

 one half. From eight till ten, Breakfast, attend Prayers, etc. 

 From ten to twelve, Study all the time. From twelve to one, Dine, 

 etc. From one to four, study constantly. From four to five, Re- 

 lieve my mind by some diversion or Exercise. From five till Bed- 

 time, follow what my inclination leads me to; whether it be to go 

 abroad, or stay at home and read either Anatomy, Physic or 

 Chemistry, or any other book I want to Peruse." 



He later obtained by the influence of some Boston friends the 

 privilege of attending the lectures of Professor Winthrop on 

 experimental philosophy at Harvard College, and every day he 

 and his friend Baldwin walked eight miles from Woburn to Cam- 

 bridge, and on their return repeated the experiments in mechanics 

 and electricity with apparatus of their own construction. That 

 the two boys were not so completely absorbed in abstract science 

 as to be oblivious to the attractions of the road is proved by their 

 discovery on a hillside farm in Medford of an apple-tree bearing 

 fruit of superior quality, which was afterwards cultivated by 

 Colonel Baldwin, introduced by Count Rumford into Europe and 

 is still known as the "Baldwin apple." 



How much Count Rumford appreciated the help he got from 

 Harvard College is shown by his bequeathing to that institution 

 the reversion of his whole estate, to found a professorship "to 

 teach the utility of the physical and mathematical sciences for the 

 improvement of the useful arts, and for the extension of the in- 

 dustry, prosperity, happiness and well being of Society." Dr. 

 Jacob Bigelow was first elected to the Rumford Professorship in 

 1816. His successors have been Daniel Treadwell, Eben Hors- 

 ford, Walcott Gibbs, and John Trowbridge. * 



The Rumford Fund for the support of this professorship now 

 amounts to $56,368.73. 



