Life of Count Rumford. 607 



ence has been made were themselves conspicuous and 

 attractive characters, and held him in high regard. 

 Baron Delessert, his banker and confidential adviser, 

 was always near him. As we shall see, he performed 

 some of the last offices for the Count, and was the me- 

 dium for carrying into effect the provisions of his last 

 will, and for taking care of some of the property and 

 transmitting the pension of his daughter. The " illustri- 

 ous " Lagrange was a frequent visitor at Auteuil. The 

 Senator Leconteux Caneleux was the Count's next neigh- 

 bor. Mr. Underwood, who had been interested with 

 him in the origin of the Royal Institution, and who 

 remained in France as one of the detenus during the 

 war, kept up his acquaintance with Rumford in Paris, 

 and was probably the writer of the account yet to be 

 given, which reports to us some particulars, found no- 

 where else, of his closing years. Rumford also, grow- 

 ing into a strongly patriotic feeling, was always glad to 

 perform any kindly service for Americans visiting Paris, 

 and he sought to be on intimate terms with such of 

 them as could appreciate his society. Daniel Parker, 

 Esq., a native of America, a gentleman of high culture, 

 and possessed of great wealth, was one of these cher- 

 ished friends. He lived for forty years in France. He 

 had an extensive, costly, and luxurious estate at Dra- 

 veil, about fifteen miles from Paris, where he dwelt with 

 princely elegance, and exercised a lavish hospitality. 

 His chateau, his farms, his gardens and flocks, made 

 his grounds and his family objects of interest, while he 

 offered a welcome to strangers as well as to guests, 

 Lafayette being among the honored visitors. Henry 

 Preble, the youngest son of the American Brigadier- 

 General Preble, with his wife, an English lady, and his 



