Life of Count Rumford. 369 



"This picture I did not send to my father, but only 

 told him about it, not omitting a circumstance which 

 was true, that the picture in which I had succeeded 

 pretty well, as all said, resembled much a young teacher 

 we had in the school. My father did not approve of 

 captivating male teachers for misses' instructors. He 

 was so used to the great world ; I suppose in those 

 places it was not thought best. I am sure the good old 

 hump-backed, long-featured, great-nosed Alberti he 

 gave me for Italian must have had great success among 

 mothers for their daughters, under like prudent pre- 

 cautions." 



This "handsome teacher," whose name was Gurley, 

 she thinks would have made great havoc in the school 

 if one of the little flock had not got the start of the rest 

 by running away with him to New Orleans, where both 

 of them soon after died. This information the Count- 

 ess wisely withheld from her father. She also had a 

 Spanish teacher, and seems to have really devoted her- 

 self to hard work for self-improvement and culture, 

 alike for the purpose of turning to account the advan- 

 tages she enjoyed as to please her father. She says that 

 the reason her father alleged for not recalling her to 

 Europe on his marriage to Madame Lavoisier was that 

 his lady did not wish to have with her a daughter-in- 

 law. She herself, however, was persuaded that her 

 father did not think her fitted in manners and acquire- 

 ments to shine in the circles which he and his mil- 

 lionnaire wife frequented. The refinements of French 

 ways impressed the daughter, but she could not easily 

 assume or conform to them. She says that Madame de 

 Rumford was truly a brilliant character, and it seemed 

 at first as if the Count had renewed his youth. He 

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