Life of Count Rumford. 631 



about him some kindly and discriminating judgments, 

 which may not inappropriately be quoted here. 



Colonel Baldwin, writing of his friend after he had 

 become distinguished in Europe, and while he was still 

 living, said, reverting to his own acquaintance with 

 the young Benjamin Thompson: 



" The pleasant and happy days which he passed at Concord 

 were insufficient to lull his natural passion to engage in the 

 active scenes of useful life. Although he enjoyed as much as 

 any man the amusements of a country town ; although he was 

 susceptible of the comforts of retirement and a peaceful fireside; 

 and although with his wife, who was affectionately attached to 

 him, he might live as an honorable and independent gentleman, 

 he laudably resolved not to sacrifice his bright talents to the mo- 

 notonous occupations of domestic life. The world had higher 

 charms for him, which led him to relinquish the idea of enjoy- 

 ing them. This ambition was not at all to engage in brilliant 

 scenes of dissipation, but to rise in the estimation of mankind 

 by his usefulness, and call forth that applause which springs 

 from public love. 



" Mr. Thompson was, perhaps, for so young a man, too 

 much attached to greatness and splendor ; and with a genius 

 which never suffered him to stop short of the object of his 

 pursuit, and with a mind susceptible to impressions from every 

 quarter, he could not fix his attention, according to the cool 

 dictates of common prudence, upon any uniform line of conduct. 

 From this cause alone, a want of regularity in his behavior, im- 

 pressions unfavorable to his character as a patriot were made upon 

 the minds of his acquaintance at Concord. The Whig party, 

 as it was then called, in the midst of their zeal for the American 

 cause, were too apt to construe indifference into a determined 

 attachment to the British interest, and therefore we need not 

 wonder that Major Thompson had enemies, as indeed he had 

 many. These suspicions were at first cautiously concealed, 

 but finally burst upon his peaceful retirement, and imbittered 

 his domestic happiness." 



