Life and writings of Count Rumfbrd, iii 



carry into execution a visionary project of perpetual motion. He 

 was negligent of the concerns of his master and customers, that 

 he misrht exercise his mechanical dexterity in various contrivances 



/ 



of art, or indulge his musical taste in performances on tlie violin 

 and hautboy. These accomplishments not being of a kind to 



render him either useful or contented 



routine of a mcrcan- 



tile apprenticeship, he quitted his situation and returned to live 

 with his mother at Woburn. " He was received bj his acquaint- 

 ance witb unwelcome pity, as an unfortunate young man, who 

 could not fix his mind on any regular employment, and who would 

 never be able to support himself or afford consolation to his 



friends." 



A.t the age of about 17? Mr. Thomp 



obtain 



permission 



to attend the lectures of Professor V/inthrop on Natural Phlloso 

 phy in the University at Cambridge, in company with his friend 



the late Col. Baldwin, of Wobu 



A 



field of 



was thus opened to his inquisitive mind. To avail himself of 

 tbe privilege, he was obliged constantly to walk from Woburn to 

 Cambridge, a distance of nine miles, which exercise he perform- 

 ed in company with his friend, with unwearied punctuality and 

 alacrity. He seems to have acquired here the rudiments of that 

 philosophical knowledge which afterwards ripened into the source 



of so much hunour to himself and benefit to the community. 



At a subsequent periodf-lie was engaged in the instruction of 



a country school at Bradford in Essex county. It was the pur- 

 suit of this calling which led our young philosopher to Con- 

 cord, in New Hampshire, a place Mhich became his resi- 



r 



dence, and furnished his future title. At Concord, his pecuniary 

 situation was impr:-ved by a marriage at the age of 19? with Mrs. 



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m 



