Life and icritlngs of Count Huwford, xxi 



that a carriage having wheels of this construction will move in a 

 more uniformly horizontal line, than one which by its construction 

 sinks frequently, or cuts deeply. In order to put the (]uestion to 

 an experimental test, Count Ruraford contrived an elastic appa- 

 ratus, connecting his carriage wi^h the horses, which changed its 

 situation in proportion to the difficulty of the draught, and point- 

 ed out by an index the quantity of force expended by the horses. 

 In three sets of wheels of different width employed in the experi- 

 ments, the broadest always required the least force in the draught, 

 while the narrowest required most. Those who attend to this 

 subject will perceive that on pavements, or in sandy or muddy 

 roads, the preference must be given to wheels with the broad cir- 

 cumference. But on the other hand, in rough or stony roads, it 

 is obvious that a broad wheel will strike many obstacles which a 

 narrow one would escape. 



It was not only in his equipage, but in his house, his apparel, 

 and his mode of life ; that Count Rumford pursued a plan of phi- 

 losophic fitness and undeviating precision. The furniture of his 

 house was arranged in the order of complementary colours, his 

 culinary utensils were inventions of his own, his clothing was cut 

 by the model of convenience, his food and drink were taken by 

 rule. He considered order as the principal virtue, and the chief 

 instrument of human happiness ; and his wants and gratifications 

 were as rigidly measured, as his time, and his mental and bodi- 

 ly labours. In military life his discipline had been rigid to the 

 extreme, and in private situations he studied the most scrupulous 

 punctuality and metliod himself, and exacted an observance of the 



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same virtues from those around him. 



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