PREFACE 



'T^HE American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 

 ^ at a meeting held June 9, 1868, resolved to 

 publish a complete edition of Count Rumford's 

 Works, and made an appropriation of money for 

 that purpose. In accordance with this resolu- 

 tion, the "Rumford Committee" of the Acad- 

 emy undertook to collect the writings of Count 

 Rumford, which are scattered through various 

 scientific Journals and Transactions. No com- 

 plete edition of these writings has ever been 

 published, although many of them were col- 

 lected by their author and reprinted under his 

 direction at various times, with the titles of 

 " Essays, Political, Economical, and Philosophical," 

 and of *' Philosophical Papers." Gf the latter 

 work only one volume was ever published, though, 

 according to Count Rumford's design, there were 

 to have been two. There are also German and 

 French editions of the Essays. 



