118 THE EAELY HISTORY OF [CHAP. III. 



formed in any country without the knowledge and appro- 

 bation of the Executive Government. 



' Trusting that you will be so good as to excuse the 

 liberty I take in making this observation, and that you 

 will consider my doing it as being intended rather to 

 justify myself, by explaining my principles than from any 

 idea of its being necessary on any other account, I have 

 the honour to be, with much respect, Gentlemen, your 

 most obedient and most humble Servant, 



(Signed) * RUMFORD. 



1 Brompton Row, February 7, 1799. 

 (Addressed) 



* To the Gentlemen named by the Committee of the 

 Society for Bettering the Condition of the Poor to confer 

 with Count Bumford on his scheme for forming a new 

 Establishment in London for Diffusing the Knowledge of 

 Useful Mechanical Improvements, &c.' 



The Committee above mentioned having, in the mean- 

 time, made their report to the Society for Bettering the 

 Condition and Increasing the Comforts of the Poor, that 

 Society came to the following resolution : 



* At a meeting of the Society for Bettering the Condition 

 and Increasing the Comforts of the Poor, on Friday, the 

 1st of February, 1799, 



* Present : 



The BISHOP OP DURHAM, in the chair, 

 PATRICK COLQCHOUN, Esq., 

 THOMAS BERNARD, Esq., 

 WILLIAM MANNING, Esq., 

 JOHN SULLIVAN, Esq., 

 The BEV. DR. GLASSE, 

 JOHN J. ANGERSTEIN, Esq., 

 WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, Esq., 

 RICHARD JOSEPH SULIVAN, Esq., 

 MATTHEW MARTIN, Esq., Secretary, 



