Life of Count Rumford. 105 



driven hence by an angry populace. These were ready 

 to sustain the contemptuous opinions of a few members 

 of the Parliament on the side of the ministry, that 

 resolute measures on the part of the King, and a few 

 regiments of British soldiers, would soon extinguish the 

 threatening flame. The advice of the former class was 

 rejected in scorn ; that of the latter class had been 

 found misleading, and dangerously falsified by the at- 

 tempts to follow it. Thompson must have found his 

 cue in substantially pursuing a midway course. Cu- 

 vier, referring to his first presenting himself before the 

 Minister with his despatches, says : " On this occasion, 

 by the clearness of his details and the gracefulness of 

 his manners he insinuated himself so far into the 

 graces of Lord George Germaine that he took him 

 into his employment." An intelligent and observing 

 witness on the spot, who had known Thompson as an 

 apprentice-boy in Salem, and who is by and by to be 

 quoted, tells us that the young man soon became such 

 a favorite with Lord George that he was daily in the 

 habit of breakfasting, dining, and supping with him at 

 his lodgings ; while it soon came to be known among 

 the American refugees in England, that rills from the 

 fountain of favor and patronage flowed through Thomp- 

 son, and that he himself was becoming rich and conse- 

 quential. There is but one fair construction to be put 

 on these facts. In accordance with the strain of what 

 has previously been said about Thompson's espousal 

 of the unpatriotic side in our war, if it were a matter 

 of importance to ascertain how and' in what way he 

 committed himself to the King's service, and what was 

 the nature of the information or advice imparted by 

 him, we should have in the main to depend wholly 



