446 Life of Count Rumford. 



Scotland. The magistrates of Edinburgh made him a visit of 

 ceremony, gave him a dinner in the City Hall, and added to 

 these marks of distinction the freedom of the city, expressed in 

 the most flattering terms. They consulted him on measures 

 for improving their public charitable institutions and for abolish- 

 ing mendicity. They put the work into his hands, and this 

 great undertaking was completed in less than a month, with full 

 success. No more beggars are seen in Edinburgh, and all indi- 

 gent persons there able to work have become industrious. 



u The Royal Society of Edinburgh and that of Medicine 

 made the Count an Honorary Member, and the University gave 

 him the diploma of a Doctor of Laws. I regret that I am not 

 able to transcribe this instrument, which was inserted in the 

 Edinburgh Gazette. It is of the most elegant latinity, and 

 expresses laconically and justly the obligations of humanity to 

 my illustrious friend. 



" During his stay in this city he was occupied in supervising 

 the introduction in that great establishment, Heriot's Hospital, 

 of the improvements of his own invention in the application of 

 heat to the preparation of food. 



" I have before me a recent letter from Mr. Jackson, one of 

 the principal guardians of the hospital, to the author of these 

 improvements. Here is a literal translation [which I translate 

 again from the French]. 



" EDINBURGH, July 21, 1801. 



" MY DEAR SIR, With a view of procuring the most ex- 

 act information about the result of the repairs made in Heriot's 

 Hospital, I have preferred to allow a sufficient length of time 

 to pass that their value might be sufficiently tested. To-day I 

 have the satisfaction to inform you that a trial of six months has 

 proved with certainty that the same operations are performed 

 with only a sixth part of the fuel which was used before. The 

 saving will nevertheless be only two thirds, because the price 

 of coke is nearly double that of the fuel which we used before. 

 I assure you, with much pleasure, that the food is prepared 

 better than before, and with half the trouble to the servants. 



