COUNT RUMFORD. 



piece of iron. They made the metal so hot, that it 

 could not be safely touched. As in the case of Rum- 

 ford, people were looking on at this experiment, and 

 Boyle's people, like those of Kumford, were struck 

 with wonder, to see the sulphur of gunpowder ignited 

 by heat produced without any fire. Hooke is equally 

 clear as regards the nature of heat, and like Eumford 

 himself, but more than a century before him, he com- 

 pares the vibrations of heat with sonorous vibrations. 

 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 surely a mistake. 



\Vhile 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 guillo- 

 tine on May 8, 1794; and inheriting his great name, 

 together 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 Ba- 

 varia took great interest in Rumford's projected mar- 

 riage, 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 



