228 Life of Count Rumford. 



the characteristics of the three nations, the humility of the 

 Americans, the dignity of the English, and the graceful good- 

 humor of the French. 



"I could make one of the humble courtesies, and was thought 

 to acquit myself well. My father having taken me with him in 

 going to pay a visit to a lady, a particular friend of his, not find- 

 ing her at home, inquires for the housekeeper, having a mes- 

 sage to leave. Whether it was that I did not rightly com- 

 prehend the word housekeeper, we having few people of that de- 

 scription in the New England States, people of first fortune 

 and family performing that office for themselves, or whether, 

 from inattention, I did not hear the word, I cannot say, but 

 on entering, disengaging my arm from that of my father, placing 

 my feet in position and drawing back to allow myself a com- 

 fortable sweep, I made one of my very best, lowest courtesies. 

 And this to a housekeeper! Than this, the affair of the lace, 

 most likely, was not more cutting to my father's feelings. 



" Poor man ! he had occasion to tremble for another circum- 

 stance. I, having been promised to go with him to the Italian 

 Opera, was, unfortunately, to be with a party of high fashionables. 

 After, I suppose, weighing matters well, instead of retracting his 

 promise, he concludes to lecture me. Whatever my impressions 

 of the music, I was to make no observations ; preferring, it 

 seems, insipidity to an improper remark. This music being 

 an acquired taste, and I having had the advantage of only that 

 which was most simple and natural, it is true I was not en- 

 chanted. I much preferred within myse/f, of course old 

 Black Prince's fiddle, of Concord ; particularly when a rosy lad, 

 leading to the floor of the dance his still more rosy partner, look- 

 ing sternly, said peremptorily, c Make your fiddle speak, Prince.' 



" In consequence of the Baron's taking a trip to Ireland, I 

 was put to a boarding-school at Barnes's Terrace, kept by the 

 Marquise of Chabann. She, her husband and family, were 

 French emigrants. My stay was much shorter there than I 

 could have wished, I being very happy, three months only, 

 my father then returning from Ireland and making preparations 

 to go to Bavaria, obliging me to quit. Madame de Chabann 



