108 THE EOYAL INSTITUTION. [CHAP. II. 



leader, Laplace. He often used to exclaim tliat no one 

 who had not lived a considerable time in France could 

 imagine how contemptible a nation they are, and how void 

 of honour and even honesty. "Whenever he ordered any 

 instrument at a mathematical instrument maker's a similar 

 one was instantly made for some one of the Great Nation, 

 though of the intended use they were at the moment 

 ignorant; but the hope of supplanting a foreigner and of 

 arrogating to themselves a discovery (a common practice 

 with them) incited them to adopt this dishonourable prac- 

 tice. This forced him to send for a workman from Ger- 

 many, whom he constantly employed, and who lived in his 

 house. I was one day with the Count at a sitting of the 

 first class of the Institute, when we heard one of the leading 

 members declare that they would set their faces against 

 any discovery which did not originate among themselves. 



The Count displayed extraordinary spirited conduct and 

 firmness in refusing the French the passage of the city of 

 Munich. He used often to dwell with much pleasure on 

 having been the means of bringing forward two celebrated 

 characters, the Bavarian general Wieden and Sir Humphry 

 Davy the former originally a lawyer, or a land steward, 

 and possessing great military dispositions ; Count Rumford, 

 then Minister of War to the Elector of Bavaria, gave him 

 a commission : and the latter was recommended to him 

 when he had the direction of the Royal Institution by Mr. 

 Underwoodj and was made Lecturer on Chemistry. 



The climate of France agreeing with him far better than 

 that of Bavaria, he received permission of the King of 

 Bavaria to reside there ; and his half-pay as lieutenant- 

 general in his service and pension of retreat as minister of 

 his late father [uncle] were regularly paid him, amounting 

 to about twelve hundred pounds sterling per annum. It 

 was this which prevented his return to England, as 

 Bonaparte would not, in that case, have allowed his vassal, 

 the King of Bavaria, to have paid the Count. 



