150 COUNT RUMFORD. 



ing sample of them : " I am almost afraid to tell you 

 the story, my good child, lest in future you should not 

 be good; lest what I am about relating should set you 

 a bad example, make you passionate, and so on. But 

 I had been made very angry. A large party had been 

 invited I neither liked nor approved of, and invited for 

 the sole purpose of vexing me. Our house being in 

 the centre of the garden, walled around, with iron gates, 

 I put on my hat, walked down to the porter's lodge, 

 and gave him orders, on his peril, not to let any one 

 in. Besides, I took away the keys. Madame went 

 down, and when the company arrived, she talked with 

 them, she on one side, they on the other, of the high 

 brick wall. After that she goes and pours boiling water 

 on some of my beautiful flowers." 



Six months later, the sounds of lamentation and 

 woe are continued. There was no alteration for the 

 better. He thought of separation, but the house and 

 garden in the Hue d'Anjou being a joint concern, legal 

 difficulties arose as to the division of it. " I have suf- 

 fered," he says to his daughter, " more than you can 

 imagine for the last four weeks; but my rights are 

 incontestable, and I am determined to maintain them. 

 I have the misfortune to be married to one of the 

 most imperious, tyrannical, unfeeling women that ever 

 existed, and whose perseverance in pursuing an object 

 is equal to her profound cunning and wickedness in 

 framing it." He purposed taking a house at Auteuil. 

 It would be unfortunate if, notwithstanding all the 

 bounties of the King of Bavaria, he could not live 

 more independently than with this unfeeling, cunning, 

 tyrannical woman. " Alas ! little do we know people 

 at first sight! Do you preserve my letters? You will 

 perceive that I have given very different accounts of 

 tin's woman, for lady I cannot call her." He describes 



