566 Life of Count Rumford. 



what it was, very delightful as he considered it. He had looked 

 forward to it as a permanent home, to be shared with an agree- 

 able, rich, and accomplished lady as a companion. His disap- 

 pointment was certainly great, and no doubt suggested the 

 melancholy purpose, which for a certainty he cherished, of 

 secluding himself wholly from the world. All his later letters 

 to me tended to that point. He invites me to come to him if I 

 can consent to be his companion in perfect solitude, even 

 obscurity. Otherwise I was not to come. The Count's not 

 having been provident in laying up a part, ever so little, of his 

 different pays through life, left him dependent on courts and 

 kings." 



The following abstracts from others of the Count's 

 letters will have an interest from their incidental con- 

 tents. It will be seen that the Count occupies his new 

 home. He received occasional visits from his lady, and 

 this is consistent with an authoritative statement already 

 noted, that the separation between them was an " ami- 

 cable " one. 



"AUTEUIL, 24 th October, 1809. 



"DEAR SALLY, The Mentor arrived some weeks since, 

 when I was expecting you. Without doubt the reason you did 

 not come was owing to your not rinding proper protection, and 

 in these terrible times of war you cannot be too particular. 

 This unfortunate war chains me to the spot, for I am so situ- 

 ated between three governments that I am obliged almost to 

 turn into a cypher. It is England where I want to go, but dare 

 not risk it. And it is there I should much prefer receiving you 

 than here. 



" By the date of this letter you will perceive it to be the 

 anniversary of my wedding-day with Madame Lavoisier, to-day 

 four years. I own I make choice of this day to write to \ou, 

 in reality to testify joy ; but joy that I am away from her, as 

 has been the case for the last six months. It would be diffi- 

 cult to describe what I suffered there for the last year. 1 often 



