562 Life of Coiint Rumford. 



tinued by my choice, but much against my inclinations. I 

 have waited with great, I may say unexampled, patience for a 

 return of reason and a change of conduct. But I am firmly 

 resolved not to be driven from my ground, not even by disgust. 

 " A separation is unavoidable, for it would be highly improper 

 for me to continue with a person who has given me so many 

 proofs of her implacable hatred and malice." 



For two or three months during the latter part of the 

 Count's occupancy of the same house with his wife, he 

 was seriously ill. 



He informs his daughter that the King of Bavaria, 

 having knowledge of his domestic discomforts, had 

 recently written him a letter that had done him much 

 good. " He speaks most kindly to me, and encour- 

 ages me to bear my misfortunes like a man of firmness 

 who has nothing to reproach himself with." 



The daughter at this stage of the rupture gives, in 

 her comments, such light as she can throw upon- the 

 causes and manifestations of this domestic unhappiness. 

 She says that her father and his wife disagreed about 

 most things, if not in everything, and their alienation 

 began after the first flush of friendship had brought them 

 together. 



" One wanted this, the other wanted that. Madame loved 

 company, the Count loved quiet. One was lavish in money 

 for entertainments ; the other had no objection to spending 

 money, but wished to see something come of it, in short, im- 

 provements. The lady said, calling him still by tender names, 

 1 My Rumford would make me very happy could he but keep 

 quiet.' The Count, on his side, says, c I should not mind 

 entertainments, but I hate to live on the scraps of them ever 

 after.' With occasional grumblings they got on for a while. 

 The Count, still engaged on his favorite subjects, light and 

 heat, invented a lamp. The French are fond of jokes, and, 



