2O Life of Count Rumford. 



ordained as minister of the North Church there in 

 1773. Both of these ministers were men of marked 

 ability and fine scholarship, took part in founding or 

 purchasing, successively, the " Social Library," the 

 " Kirwan Library," and the " Philosophical Library," 

 represented now by the " Salem Athenaeum," and gave 

 much attention to scientific pursuits. The Appleton 

 family, and of course young Thompson as a member of 

 it, worshipped with the congregation of the elder Bar- 

 nard. The son coming to teach in Salem in the same 

 year in which Thompson began his apprenticeship there, 

 and having a younger brother who was one of Thomp- 

 son's "companions," we find in the facts a full expla- 

 nation of the assertion of M. Pictet. Thompson was 

 a handsome and engaging youth, of evidently bright 

 faculties. The interest of his minister was thus drawn 

 to him, and he probably received the aid and encourage- 

 ment of the new teacher. It was thus that he was 

 " taught algebra, geometry, astronomy, and even the 

 higher mathematics," so that before the age of fifteen 

 he was able to calculate an eclipse. 



The subjoined letter, from the boy to his friend in 

 Woburn, contains one word of faulty grammar, which, 

 as unusual with him, is to be accounted as a slip of the 

 pen : 



"SALEM, Nov. iz, 1768. 



" DEAR SIR, I did not go to Mr. Derby's after them Pis 

 tols till yesterday, but he had not got them, having sent them 

 home some time before (for they were not his). But he told me 

 another man had got them who lived up in Danvers about a 

 mile. Upon this I rode up to this man, but he had sent them 

 home to the owner, about two or three days before, who lives at 

 Beverly. This man saith that the price is four dollars. The 

 Barrels are very good, the locks but ordinary. If you conclude 



