Life of Count Rumford. 359 



It thus appears that the proposition for his return to 

 America originated with Count Rumford himself and 

 was warmly seconded by his friends. No doubt he 

 would have accepted the honorable trusts thus proffered 

 to him had he not found himself most laboriously and 

 hopefully employed in the founding of that now venera- 

 ble and honored Institution in London whose origin we 

 are soon to trace. 



In addition to the letters given above I copy another, 

 which is the only one known to me referring to this 

 matter, already in print. It was the reply of President 

 John Adams to Secretary McHenry. 



" QUINCY, 24th June, 1799. 



" SIR, I have received your letter of the i8th, and have 

 read Count Rumford's letter to Mr. King. 



" For five or six years past I have been attentive to the char- 

 acter of this gentleman, and have read some of his Essays. 

 From these I have formed an esteem for his genius, talents, 

 enterprise, and benevolence, which will secure him from me, 

 in case of his return to his native country, a reception as kind 

 and civil as it may be in my power to give him. But you know 

 the difficulties those gentlemen have who left the country as he 

 did, either to give or receive entire satisfaction. I should not 

 scruple, however, to give him any of the appointments you 

 mention, and leave it with you to make such proposals to him 

 through Mr. King, within the limits you have drawn in your 

 letter, as you should think fit. I return Mr. King's letter, and 

 enclose one from Mr. William Williams, a very respectable 

 personage, recommending Rufus Tyler to be an officer in the 

 army."* 



The Count, not having asked for an office, had one 

 in this circuitous way proffered to him, which, of 

 course, he was under no obligation to accept. Pictet 



* Works of President John Adams, Vol. VIII. pp. 660, 661. 



