550 Life of Count Rumford. 



you two being considered God-Mothers to her, is very small 

 of her age, considered a dwarf. But she is very clever and 

 interesting, and excites universal attention. Madame seems to 

 take quite a fancy to her, allowing her to dine with us at a side- 

 board when we have no company. The whole family of 

 Aichners, consisting of six, with Father and Mother, are so 

 good, and those of an age to work so industrious, they cannot 

 be considered a burden, and will ever be a comfort to me, being, 

 as it were, my family. And next, my dear, I hope to get you. 

 But next spring we are going to travel into Italy and the South 

 of France, to be gone two years, so you must patiently stay 

 where you are for the present. 



" You will wish to know what sort of a place we live in. 

 The house is rather an old-fashioned concern, but in a plot of 

 over two acres of land, in the very centre and finest part of 

 Paris, near the Champs Elyssees and the Tuilleries and principal 

 boulevards. I have already made great alterations in our place, 

 and shall do a vast deal more. When these are done, I think 

 Madame de Rumford will find it in a very different condition 

 from that in which it was, that being very pitiful, with all her 

 riches. 



" Our style of living is really magnificent. Madame is ex- 

 ceedingly fond of company, and makes a splendid figure in it 

 herself. But she seldom goes out, keeping open doors, that 

 is to say, to all the great and worthy, such as the philosophers, 

 members of the Institute, ladies of celebrity, &c. 



" On Mondays we have eight or ten of the most noted of 

 our associates at dinner. (Then we live on bits the rest of the 

 week.) Thursdays are devoted to evening company, of ladies 

 and gentlemen, without regard to numbers. Tea and fruits are 

 given, the guests continuing till twelve or after. Often superb 

 concerts are given, with the finest vocal and instrumental per- 

 formers." 



In spite of the hopefulness in some of the above 

 sentences, the Count seems already to have felt some 

 misgivings during this moderate honeymoon. He was 



