Life of Count Rumford. 429 



and then for two hours we chat about matters which interest 

 us alike, and I cannot describe the charm which I find in these 

 conversations. I make notes of them immediately afterwards, 

 for, if possible, I would not lose a word of them. And what a 

 life is his ! His memory retraces faithfully all the principal 

 facts, and even all the anecdotes, of his early years. I press him 

 every day to commit these things to writing. He objects, and his 

 other engrossing occupations, which are excessive, leave him no 

 time for it. And who knows if he will ever find the time ? I 

 believe it is my duty, as a friend, to profit by the opportunity 

 which has brought me near to him to try to draw out in our 

 intercourse all the marked incidents of his life, and to send to 

 you in confidence these biographical particulars which you may 

 keep in your portfolio. I am favored by being able to gather as 

 from the lips of two of his oldest and most intimate friends, 



whom I frequently see, Sir Ch. B[lagden] and Mr. De P , 



the Bavarian Envoy, many of those facts which his modesty 

 conceals. In combining all these means I shall thus have 

 something more complete and more authentic than we read about 

 him in the English journals, and which sometimes make him 

 laugh. . And to trust as little as I can to chance in carrying out 

 this purpose, I will profit by what remains of my letter to copy 

 what I have already gathered. I will complete it, if I can, in 

 my next, and will follow, so far as my notes will allow, the order 

 of time." [Here is added the memoir given on previous pages.] 



In this attempt to describe with such minuteness 

 the novel and convenient devices which Count Rum- 

 ford had introduced into his house at Brompton, Pictet 

 was simply endeavoring to convey to readers on the 

 Continent, by this method, something of the privilege 

 which residents in and near London enjoyed of satisfy- 

 ing their curiosity by observation. The ingenious and 

 tasteful arrangements in that house made it for several 

 years one of the most attractive objects for curious 

 sight-seers ; and the Count's gratification, and perhaps 



