q6o Count Rumford’s Experiments to determine 
able number of promiscuous experiments, which having nothing 
particularly remarkable in their results, could throw no new 
light upon the subject, I shall proceed immediately to give an 
account of a regular set of experiments, undertaken with a view 
to the discovery of certain determined facts, and prosecuted 
with unremitting perseverance. 
These experiments were made by my directions under the 
immediate care of Mr. Reichenbach, commandant of the corps 
of artificers in the Elector's military service, and of Count 
Spreti, first lieutenant in the regiment of artillery. 
Though I was prevented by ill health from being actually 
present at all these experiments, yet being at hand, and having 
every day, and almost every hour, regular reports of the pro- 
gress that was made in them, and of every thing extraordinary 
that happened, the experiments may be said with great truth 
to have been made under my immediate direction; and as the 
two gentlemen by whom I was assisted, were not only every 
way qualified for such an undertaking, but had been present, 
and had assisted me in a number of similar experiments which 
I had myself made, they had acquired all that readiness and 
dexterity in the various manipulations which are so useful and 
necessary in experimental inquiries ; and I think I can safely 
venture to say that the experiments may be depended upon. 
It would have afforded me great satisfaction to have been able 
to say that the experiments were all made by myself ; and I 
had resolved to repeat them before I made them public, parti- 
cularly as there appear to have been some very extraordinary 
and quite unaccountable differences in the results of those 
made in different seasons of the year ; but having hitherto been 
prevented by ill health, and by other avocations, from engag- 
