Life of Count Rumford. 309 



rola her husband, and two darling children, a girl and a boy, 

 Therese and Andrew, there was no one she so much loved and 

 respected. With regard to myself, as was before mentioned 

 was the intention, I accompanied the Countess to a drawing- 

 room. After this there were parties at home, or going out. 

 A fashionable place of resort was at what was called the Haus- 

 meister's, in the English Garden. After some turns round the 

 Garden we would go there, taking refreshments. In the man- 

 ner in which my father was travelling he had no need of his 

 aids, which left them at leisure to amuse themselves. In our 

 different excursions it was seldom that Count Taxis did not 

 either go with us or meet us. The Countess seemed intimate 

 with his family, and to have a good opinion of him, and her 

 conversation with me concerning him was of a nature to make 

 me think well of him. This was not the case with my father, 

 which I had remarked, but did not know the cause. Among 

 other things, the Countess informed me that this gentleman, a 

 short time previous, had publicly declared his intention of not 

 marrying a noble young lady of Munich, whom I knew, but 

 whose name I have no call to mention, a match made up by 

 his and her family. He had taken a sudden fancy to learn 

 English, and often called to speak it with the Countess and 

 myself, she speaking English uncommonly well. The Count- 

 ess conducted me one day a few miles out of town to see a 

 beautiful view. After looking at it some time, she, taking 

 paper and pencil, began sketching. She invited me to do the 

 same, saying it was not difficult, and that she would assist me. 

 I accepted, and we finished the sketch together. When we 

 returned home Dillis was sent for and desired to put the sketch 

 in a state that I, with his assistance, could finish it. He did so, 

 and I afterwards became his pupil. In the like manner, enticed 

 on by the Countess, I became accomplished in matters in which 

 my father had failed to help me through rougher measures. 



"The next concern was music. I well understood my fa- 

 ther's wish for me to cultivate it, and as decidedly so my own 

 not to comply. If I was pleased with the measures taken by 

 the Countess about drawing, in those respecting music I was 



