COUNT RUMFORD. 137 



One of the first practical steps taken towards the 

 realisation of these ideas was the purchase of the house, 

 or rather houses, in Albemarle Street in which we are 

 now assembled, and their modification to suit the objects 

 in view. Kumford's obvious intention was to found an 

 Institute of Technology and Engineering. Mere de- 

 scription was not sufficient. He demanded something 

 visible and tangible, and therefore proposed that the 

 Institution should be made a repository for models of 

 all useful contrivances and improvements : cottage fire- 

 places and kitchen utensils ; kitchens for farm-houses 

 and for the houses of gentlemen ; a laundry, including 

 boilers, washing, ironing, and drying-rooms ; Grerman, 

 Swedish, and Russian stoves ; open chimney fireplaces, 

 with ornamental grates ; ornamental stoves ; working 

 models ( of that most curious and most useful machine, 

 the steam-engine ' ; brewers' boilers ; distillers' coppers ; 

 condensers ; large boilers for hospitals ; ventilating appa- 

 ratus in hot-houses; lime-kilns; steam-boilers for pre- 

 paring food for stall-fed cattle ; spinning-wheels ; looms ; 

 agricultural implements ; bridges of various construc- 

 tions ; human food ; clothing ; houses; towns ; fortresses; 

 harbours ; roads ; canals ; carriages ; ships ; tools ; 

 weapons; &c. Chemistry was to be applied to soils, 

 tillage, and manures ; to the making of bread, beer, wine, 

 spirits, starch, sugar, butter, and cheese ; to the pro- 

 cesses of dyeing, calico-printing, bleaching, painting, 

 and varnishing ; to the smelting of ores ; the formation 

 of alloys ; to mortars, cements, bricks, pottery, glass, 

 and enamels. Above all, ' the phenomena of light and 

 heat — those great powers which give life and energy to 

 the universe — powers which, by the wonderful process 

 of combustion, are placed under the command of human 

 beings — will engage a profound interest.' 



In reference to the alleged size of the bed of Og, the 



