26 Life of Count Rumford. 



enemies of his country." There may be tradition to 

 authenticate this statement, which came as from a trust- 

 worthy source to the writer of it. But I know of no 

 documentary attestation of it. 



Fortunately there is preserved a very interesting and 

 suggestive relic, which Mr. Thompson left behind him 

 in his abrupt departure from his home, for reasons soon 

 to be stated, and which is very significant of the tastes 

 and occupations of his youth. It is a memorandum- 

 book of substantial linen paper, with parchment cover 

 and a brass clasp, some leaves of which have been cut 

 out, thirty-six of those it may have originally contained 

 being still left. This memento is now before me ; and 

 the fragmentary information and the curious matter of 

 its contents may be turned to a profitable account.* 



The contents of the book are, as will be seen, very 

 miscellaneous, giving tokens of the bent of genius of 

 the youth, with anticipatory hints of the characteristics 

 and occupations of his mature life. The boy in this 

 case was certainly father of the man. About fifty of 

 the seventy-two remaining pages have upon them some 

 sketch or record ; the others, unfortunately, being blank. 

 Twenty of the pages at the beginning and the end 

 of the book contain a most extraordinary variety of 

 sketches and etchings with pen and pencil, some of 

 them being colored by paints. A portion of these are 

 but rude and of faint outlines ; but others of them give 

 evidence of a skilful and accurate draughtsman, with an 

 eye for proportions, with correct perspective and a cun- 

 ning hand. There are caricature sketches of human 

 physiognomy and forms, men and women, young and 



* The book belongs to Joseph B. Walker, Esq., of Concord, N. H., a descendant 

 of the father of Count Rumford's first wife. I am indebted to Mr. Walker's courtesy 

 for the privilege of using the book, as for other valued favors. 



