1781. JET. 28.] COUNT RUMFOKD. 19 



who have it not in their power ; all wish to be thought of 

 importance and significancy, and this often leads to deceit. 

 This young man, when a shop-lad to my next neighbour, 

 ever appeared active, good-natured, and sensible ; by a 

 strange concurrence of events, he is now Under- Secretary 

 to the American Secretary of State, Lord George Germain, 

 a secretary to Georgia, inspector of all the clothing sent to 

 America, and Lieutenant- Colonel Commandant of Horse 

 Dragoons at New York. His income arising from these 

 sources is, I have been told, near seven thousand a year 

 a sum infinitely beyond his most sanguine expectations. 

 He is, besides, a member of the Royal Society. It is said 

 he is of an ingenious turn, an inventive imagination, and, 

 by being on a cruise in Channel service with Sir Charles 

 Hardy, has formed a more regular and better- digested 

 system for signals than that heretofore used. He seems to 

 be of a happy, even temper in general deportment, and 

 reported of an excellent heart ; peculiarly respectful to 

 Americans that fall in his way. 



This statement of the income of Thompson was cer- 

 tainly enormously exaggerated. That about this time 

 he was appointed to the King's American Dragoons 

 the following autograph letter, now in the library of 

 the Royal Institution, shows : 



FROM LORD GEORGE GERMAIN TO SIR H. CLINTON. 



Stoneland Lodge, September 30, 1781. 



SIR, I beg leave to introduce Mr. Thompson to you, 

 and at the same time to thank you for the favour and pro- 

 tection which you have shewn him in giving him the com- 

 mand of a regiment of light dragoons, which, I trust, will 

 be raised in a manner to entitle the officers of it to your 

 approbation. Lieutenant- Colonel Thompson shows at least 

 a spirit and zeal for the service, in quitting for a time an 



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