528 Life of Count Rumford. 



" This letter is dated at Paris, the 2ist of October, and from 

 a direction in it I conclude that the marriage has taken place 

 before this time. 



"On the 1 2th of last August I put a letter for you into the 

 hands of the American Minister here. In it I inquired if your 

 treaty of marriage had been concluded. But since that time a 

 gentleman from Boston has told me that it was broken off some 

 time ago. Perhaps this may prove a fortunate circumstance 

 now, as your father has effected his marriage. I have not, 

 however, the remotest idea how he intends to act respecting 

 you, and particularly whether he thinks of bringing you to Paris 

 or not. Most likely he has himself written to you all the 

 details. With sincere wishes for your happiness, I remain, my 

 dear Countess, 



" Your faithful friend, 



"C. BLAGDEN.'" 



At this point we may defer further extracts from the 

 letters of this faithful correspondent, and avail ourselves 

 of the abstract made by the Countess, with her own 

 comments from the papers which have been above 

 described. 



The Countess precedes her extracts, copied from her 

 father's letters, with a few reminiscences and frank 

 remarks, giving her own opinion of him and the opin- 

 ions of others. She herself shared the general admira- 

 tion of his personal beauty, fine figure, and elegant 

 manners. She thinks he derived his talents from his 

 mother, who was herself noted for her ingenuity, her 

 soft, pleasing ways, and for moderately good looks. 

 She admits that he was naturally aristocratic, and says 

 that he\ was " a great lover of perfection of every shade 

 and quality." The Rev. Dr. Lathrop, a distinguished 

 minister m Boston, who knew the Count in his youth, 

 is quoted \by her as having said that "he was born a 



