48 Life of Count Rumford. 



culty, when the time of trial came, in deciding whether 

 they were to engage for or against the liberty of their 

 native land. 



But this sudden elevation of Thompson, without 

 military knowledge or experience, without even any 

 personal claim, over men in the line of fair promotion 

 who had seen actual service and had won their position, 

 was a piece of simple folly on the part of the Governor; 

 and it was an act of weakness, if not of pure vanity, 

 in Thompson to accept it, though it is affirmed that he 

 had not asked it. He had himself not yet come of legal 

 age, and he was lifted over veterans, the military men 

 with well-known titles, as lieutenants and captains, in 

 different country towns, when those titles were some- 

 thing more than tavern or roadside compliments. The 

 young officer became the subject -of jealous feeling and 

 of hostile criticism. Every subordinate, as well as many 

 of his superiors, were soon found to be his effective 

 enemies. 



He made frequent calls upon the Governor, and it is 

 evident that he appreciated and improved his oppor- 

 tunities. The following letter to his friend the Rev. 

 Mr. Williams, of Bradford, afterwards Professor at the 

 College, indicates the high spirits in which Thompson 

 returned from one of his visits to Portsmouth. 



"CONCORD, Monday, Jan'y i8th, 1773. 



" DEAR SIR, Last Friday I had the honour to wait upon his 

 Excellency, Governour Wentworth, at Portsmouth, where I was 

 very politely and agreeably entertained for the space of an hour 

 and a half. I had not been in his company long before I pro- 

 ceeded upon business, viz. to ask his Excellency whether 

 ever the White Mountains had been surveyed. He answering 

 me in the negative, I proceeded to acquaint him that there was 



