Life of Count Rumford. 101 



and casuistical. He would need to undertake to prove 

 that Mr. Thompson had persuaded himself that " the 

 true interests of his native country " were not to be 

 secured by resisting British authority and achieving 

 its political independence, but would be realized by 

 allowing that authority, with whatever limitations and 

 conditions, graciously defined after submission had 

 been exacted, to be permanently restored over the 

 revolting Provinces. It might be a part of this plea 

 to show that, when he left America, Major Thompson 

 had become satisfied that the resources of this country 

 were unequal to success in the struggle ; and that when 

 he reached England he was so impressed by the tokens 

 of the royal and ministerial ability to subdue a rebel- 

 lion, that he was willing to help bring about what was 

 seemingly inevitable. 



As I would riot offer such a plea for the subject of this 

 memoir, neither will I disguise or palliate the fact that 

 he threw his whole efficiency doubtless also his pride 

 and ambition into the service of the British ministry. 

 He must have said or done something at once to secure 

 his ready welcome, and must have so improved upon 

 the opportunity which that afforded him as to win 

 .confidence and to secure position and influence. The 

 smart of indignation at the injustice which he conceived 

 he had borne, and the contempt exhibited by the patriots 

 in rejecting his proffered services, might either have 

 combined with or yielded to the lures of patronage 

 and distinction. Thenceforward the rustic youth be- 

 came the companion of gentlemen of wealth and cul- 

 ture, of scientific philosophers, of the nobility, and of 

 princes. The kind of influence which he at once began 

 to exert, and the promotions which he so soon received 



