306 Life of Count Rumford. 



of his profession. Ignorant of the different merits of these 

 people at the time, and that I was doomed to similar visits, my 

 surprise was great, and not greater than my disgust at the one 

 just described. But summoning all possible fortitude, I dis- 

 missed them with saying I would think of it ; well determined 

 to have nothing to do with them. But these making only four 

 of my father's donations, another remains to be mentioned. It 

 was another visitor. I had heard of Dr. Haubenal, but had not 

 seen him. He now entering, as did the others, from my father, 

 it was by his announcing himself and offering his services that I 

 knew him. Of the two I was the more surprised and shocked 

 at a doctor's offering his services before wanted than I had 

 been even at the sight of the Italian. I began immediately to 

 cough before he got out of my room. It seemed as if it was 

 owing to this untimely visit of the doctor, though the fact was, 

 I had been several days threatened with a cough. 



" Said I to myself, Surrounded by people who speak French, 

 and all genteel people speak it at Munich, and knowing 

 considerable of the language already, where is the use of my fa- 

 tiguing myself with masters? Music the same. I knew some- 

 thing of it, did not wish to trouble myself any farther, and thought 

 it hard there should be a question of it. As to Italian, I had no 

 wish to know it, being persuaded I should not have occasion to 

 go to Italy, and as to reading, there was surely enough to read 

 in my own language. In the like manner I went on, believing 

 myself in the right and my father in the wrong, till I fell into a 

 copious flood of tears. At this moment precisely my father 

 enters my room, and with a countenance so joyful that necessity 

 compelled me to quit my troubles in contemplation of his ap- 

 parent self-satisfaction. It appeared it was a question of trav- 

 elling some way with a very old, beloved friend of his, and who, 

 in short, was no other personage than a princess, the Princess 

 de L . 



" I was not to be of the party, but to go to the Countess in 

 the mean time. He said, ' You know she is an angel of a 

 woman, and, without doubt, will make you very happy.' Good 

 as she was, however, the first thought struck me, How horrible 



