Life of Count Ritmford. 40 



a number of persons who had thought of making an expedition 

 that way next summer, and asked him whether it would be 

 agreeable to his Excellency. He said it would be extremely 

 agreeable, seemed excessively pleased with the plan, propped 

 to do all that lay in his power to forward it, said that he had 

 a number of Mathematical instruments (such as two or three 

 telescopes, Barometer, Thermometer, Compass, &c.) at Went- 

 worth House (at Wolfeborough, only about 30 miles from 

 the mountains), all which, together with his library, should be 

 at our service. That he should be extremely glad to wait on 

 us, and to crown all he promised, if there were no public busi- 

 ness which rendered his presence at Portsmouth absolutely neces- 

 sary, that he would take his tent equipage and go w'th us to 

 the mountain and tarry with us, and assist us till our survey, 

 which he said he supposed would take about 12 or 14 

 days !!! !! !!!!! 



" My dear Mr. Williams, is not this a sweet gentleman ? 

 one exactly suited to our taste, how charming ! how con- 

 descending ! how easy and pleasant in conversation ! But you 

 can form no adequate idea of him till you have been in his 

 company. But to proceed. His Excellency asked me what 

 gentlemen I thought would be likely to go. I told him I had 

 mentioned it to several, but more especially to Mr. Williams 

 of Bradford, who was a gentleman famous for bis Mathematical 

 Genius, &c., &c., &c., &c. His Excellency answered that he had 

 no particular acquaintance with you, but that he had heard of 

 you as being a great Mathematician! and Philosopher! and should 

 be extremely glad of your company and assistance in the affair. 

 And further ! he desired me to give his compliments to you, 

 and desire you to attend. 



" But stop ! I will not tell you any more till you come and 

 see me as you promised ; then we will lay the whole plan of 

 operation, and I will tell you a charming secret, something 

 you would give the world to know. 'T is nothing about 

 Magnetism, nor Electricity, nor Optics, nor Evaporation, nor 

 Flatulances, nor Earthquakes. No, but 'tis something twice 

 as pretty ! something entirely new ; but it can't be revealed 

 4 



