Life of Count Rumford. 599 



both comfortable than what I have hitherto furnished, I have 

 written to Sally to say, that instead of eight hundred dollars 

 I am ready and willing to furnish one thousand dollars a 

 year. It is my most earnest desire to make you as comfortable 

 as possible, and that everything should be arranged as you like 

 best." 



In a letter to his mother, dated Paris, December i, 

 1808, the Count requests her to have her picture taken 

 " by one of the best limners in Boston," and to send it 

 to him. He writes : " You can hardly conceive how 

 much I have your happiness and comfort at heart. 

 Give my kind love to all my relations and friends. 

 They will, no doubt, have nearly forgotten me ; but I 

 never can forget the place of my birth, and the com- 

 panions of my early years. My life appears to me like 

 a dream. I have been very successful ; but, on the 

 other hand, I have been uncommonly active and enter- 

 prising. It affords me the greatest satisfaction to think 

 you are satisfied with the conduct of your son." 



Whefi the Count made the direct deed of gift to his 

 mother referred to in his letter of February, 1812,* to 

 Mr. J. F. Baldwin, he accompanied it with these kind 

 words : 



" I desire that you will accept of it as a token of my dutiful 

 affection for you, and of my gratitude for the kind care you 

 took of me in the early part of my life. I have the greatest 

 satisfaction in being able to show my gratitude for all your good- 

 ness to me, and to contribute to your ease and comfort. I 

 request that you will consider this donation as being perfectly 

 free and unconditional, and that you would enjoy and dispose 

 of what is now your property just as you shall think best and 



* In a note to page 1 1, I have quoted the statement of a grandson of Count Rum- 

 ford's mother, that she died June n, 1811. The grandson or the printer is in error 

 as to the date. 



