Life and writings of Count Hiiwford. xv 



His eulogy was pronounced by M. Cuvier on the 9th of Jan- 

 uary following his deatli, before the Institute of France. 



By his will, Count Rumford bequeathed one thousand dollar? 

 annually, together with the reversion of his whole estate, to the 

 University of Cambridge, in the state of Massachusetts in North 

 America, for the purpose of founding under the direction and man- 

 agement of the Corporation, Overseers and Government of that 

 University, a new Institution and Professorship, to teach by regu- 

 lar courses of academical and public lectures, accompanied with 

 proper experiments, the utility of the physical and mathematical 

 sciences, for the improvement of the useful arts, and for the ex- 

 tension of the industry, prosperity, happiness, and well being of 

 society. 



Count Rumford has left in his writings a memorial of great 

 scientific industry, and a happy specimen of a popular mode of 

 conveying philosophic instruction. His productions appeared at 



^ 



various periods of his life in the form of separate papers, princi- 

 pally in the Philosophical Transactions, and in the volumes of 

 his Essays. The present occasion will not admit an examination 

 of all his writings, and it is only practicable to notice some of 



his most conspicuous labours. 



His earliest scientific publications seem to have been connect- 

 ed with improvements in the art of war, his attention at this time 

 being chiefly occupied by military pursuits. His experiments on 

 gunpowder throw some light on the laws which increase or di- 

 minish its force, many of which were practically known before to 



mi 



He found by trial that a charge rammed dow 



a piece, produces greater effect than when it is inserted in a less 

 compact manner. He also found that the heat which the gun ac- 



