io8 Life of Count Rumford. 



nating and ingratiating. In the autumn of the year 

 1777, on account of his sufferings from impaired health, 

 Mr. Thompson went to Bath, where he spent some 

 time in using the waters. Here he resumed and con- 

 tinued his favorite scientific experiments, especially a 

 series of them to test the cohesive force of different 

 bodies. In July, 1778, he was the guest of Lord 

 George Germaine at his country-seat at Stoneland 

 Lodge. Here, with the assistance, as he tells us, of 

 the Rev. Mr. Ball, Rector of Withyham, he under- 

 took experiments " to determine the most advan- 

 tageous situation for the vent in fire-arms, and to 

 measure the velocities of bullets and the recoil under 

 various circumstances. I had hopes, also, of being 

 able to find out the velocity of the inflammation of 

 gunpowder, and to measure its force more accurately 

 than had hitherto been done." 



On Thompson's return to London from Bath, he 

 communicated the results of his investigations into 

 the cohesion of bodies to Sir Joseph Banks, President 

 of the Royal Society. Being thus self-introduced as a 

 scientific inquirer to that eminent man, he was soon on 

 most intimate terms with him, and became one of his 

 nearest circle of friends. It was not in 1778, as stated 

 by his biographers, but in 1779, that Thompson was 

 elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. His certificate 

 for election describes him "as a gentleman well versed 

 in natural knowledge and many branches of polite 

 learning." f 



He very soon became one of the most active and hon- 



* An Account of some Experiments upon Gunpowder, &c. 



f History of the Royal Society &c. By Charles Richard Weld, Esq. Vol. II. 



p. 212. 



