542 Life of Count Rumford. 



of the place. The daughter, in her frank comments, 

 does not keep the secrets which a filial heart generally 

 protects. She says, 



" Without being entirely free from a sense of self-conse- 

 quence, more generally known by the name of vanity, he 

 must have thought himself superior to anything he was before. 

 In Germany he was naturally smiled upon for his ingenuity and 

 his good works. But here he was always addressed with a very 

 peculiar grace, that was flattering, while he had nothing to do 

 but to listen to sweet tones. His method of feeding the poor, 

 that for providing for the army, in short, all his plans, seemed to 

 be put into execution throughout the country, as if all benevo- 

 lent genius had been asleep, or none had ever before existed. 

 Who, without being different from every one else, could stand 

 all this ? The Count was frail, like others. Parties out of 

 number were made for him." 



The letter of the Count to his daughter, relating to 

 his intended marriage, given on a subsequent page, 

 asking for certain certificates from Woburn and Con- 

 cord, will be found to be devoted to matters of fact. 

 The following extract is from one written about the 

 same time, which was dictated by sentiment: 



" I shall withhold this information from you no longer. I 

 really do think of marrying, though I am not yet absolutely 

 determined on matrimony. I made the acquaintance of this 

 very amiable woman in Paris, who, I believe, would have no 

 objection to having me for a husband, and who in all respects 

 would be a proper match for me. She is a widow, without 

 children, never having had any ; is about my own age, enjoys 

 good health, is very pleasant in society, has a handsome fortune 

 at her own disposal, enjoys a most respectable reputation, keeps 

 a good house, which is frequented by all the first Philosophers 

 and men of eminence in the science and literature of the age, 

 or rather of Paris. And what is more than all the rest, is 

 goodness itself She is very clever (according to the 



