Life of Count Rumford. 343 



" Mrs. Baldwin joins with me in love and respects to you 

 and Mr. Pierce, and all your cnildren. 

 " I am, dear madam, 



" Your obedient, and very humble servant, 



"LOAMMI BALDWIN. 

 " MRS. RUTH PIERCE." 



At the time of writing the following letter, it would 

 seem that Count Rumford, though he had been in 

 England but a week, must have been made aware that 



o * 



the objections to his reception as the Bavarian Am- 

 bassador could not be removed ; for he could hardly 

 have contemplated even a visit to America, unless he 

 had looked for but a brief tenure of office, if allowed to 

 hold it. 



"LONDON, a8th Sept., 1798. 



" MY DEAR SIR, I arrived in this City last week from 

 Germany, and I expect to be able to remain here several 

 months. I have, indeed, some hopes of being able to pay you a 

 visit in America in the Spring. But these hopes, though ap- 

 parently well founded, may easily be disappointed, for there are 

 several events, none of which are very improbable, that would 

 render it impossible for me to be absent from Europe next year. 

 It is, however, my fixed intention to pay a visit to my friends in 

 America as soon as ever it shall be in my power, which most 

 probably will be in the course of a year or two. I have even a 

 scheme of forming for myself a little quiet retreat in that coun- 

 try, to which I can retire at some future period, and spend the 

 evening of my life. Perhaps you may be so good as to assist 

 me in carrying this plan into execution. As I am not wealthy, 

 and prefer comfort to splendour, I shall not want anything 

 magnificent. From forty to one hundred Acres of good land, 

 with wood and water belonging to it, if possible in a retired 

 situation, from one to four miles from Cambridge, with or 

 without a neat, comfortable house upon it, would satisfy all my 

 wishes. 



