564 Life of Count Rumford. 



rents, and, of course, she had hundreds where he had 

 one. 



M. Guizot, a very intimate friend, in her later years, 

 of the lady thus repudiated, writes in his admiring 

 tribute, soon to be quoted, that the separation took 

 place amicably, on the joth of June, 1809. The terms 

 of the marriage-contract were respected as regards the 

 joint property of the parties. The Count had at the 

 time a hundred thousand francs in the French funds, 

 mostly from a gift made to him by Madame Lavoisier'; 

 and a great part of what he had received from her he 

 retained, in consideration of the large outlay he had made 

 upon the house in the Rue d'Anjou. 



If an inference may be drawn from the tone of the 

 Count's letters immediately following his separation 

 from his wife, the sense of relief which he experienced 

 would indicate that his previous situation had been ex- 

 ceedingly irksome. 



Thus he writes to his daughter : 



"I find myself relieved from an almost insupportable burden. 

 I cannot repeat too much how happy I am, gaining every day 

 in health, which from vexations had become seriously deranged. 

 I am persuaded it is all for the best. After the scenes which I 

 have recently passed through, I realize, as never before, the sweets 

 of quiet, liberty, and independence. My household consists of 

 the most faithful, honest people, attached to me, without dissen- 

 sion, bribery, or malice. And, above all, that, eternal contra- 

 diction. Oh ! happy, thrice happy, am I, to be my own 

 man again ! " 



He says he intends to spend the rest of his days in 

 retirement and in philosophical pursuits. Yet he cannot 

 repress in any of his letters resentful expressions against 

 his late partner. He now became very anxious to have 



