Life of Count Rumford. 305 



while I was caressing her the door opened again, three -people 

 entering, a woman with two men. The woman spoke first, 

 addressing me in French, saying her name was Veratzy, and that 

 she was sent by my father to offer her services as a teacher in 

 French and music. Making a low courtesy, she stood back to 

 let the others speak. They did so, and it was the same story. 

 They had come, by my father's desire, as teachers. One, by 

 the name of Dillis, a Catholic priest, was a professor of draw- 

 ing. It was not uncommon with that class of people, their 

 salaries being small, to have professions. This Dillis, for in- 

 stance, was one of the best men in the world, worthy his call- 

 ing as a minister, supporting by his industry, joined to his trifling 

 salary, two aged parents, and bringing up three brothers. These 

 priests cannot marry. The other professor was for Italian, Al- 

 berte, or Alberty, as I shall call him, sent also by my father to 

 offer his services as teacher in the Italian language. The 

 Signer Alberte, as he was called, was most judiciously chosen, 

 an antidote, in appearance, to the softer passions supposed to 

 be so easily inspired by the people of his nation. His portrait 

 merits a description, particularly as he was sent by my father to 

 teach me the lovely, harmonious language of Italy. His stature 

 was under the common size, but to appearance greater, from a 

 great prominency of back and shoulders, so as nearly to hide all 

 signs of a neck. His voice was not more fortunate, being 

 harsh. His head corresponded with the prominency of his 

 back ; his nose the same, with sharp, fierce-looking eyes. Yet 

 he was a very good-humored, good kind of a man, and master 



lowing reference to Cora in a letter written by Sarah to a female friend, December 16, 

 1799, while she was on a visit at President Willard's, in Cambridge. 



" I arrived here safe the evening I left you, and had the satisfaction of find- 

 ing the President's family all well, excepting himself. I went to meeting yester- 

 day all day, and I found Cora was likely to be so unhappy to be left at home among 

 strangers, I carried her with me in my muff. She began to breathe very hard and to 

 cough a little before meeting was done, but upon the whole she behaved very well." 



Whether the excellent pastor of the Cambridge congregation, the Rev. Dr. 

 Holmes, knew of this arrangement, it would be difficult to decide ; but we may be 

 sure that some of the College students, who then attended the parish meeting-house, 

 and whose eyes must have turned with interest to a Countess in the President's 

 pew, must have been privy to the fact. 

 20 



