, he began to think more
seriously of studying, though most youth in poverty would have said, it
is useless to try. But he had great self-reliance, and now he began to
think that he could do what had been done by others. It would cost him
nothing to attend the lectures on Natural Philosophy at Cambridge
college, so he resolved to walk over there, a distance of nine miles, a
step which laid the foundation of his future fame. In all weathers he
persevered in attending the lectures, and was always punctual to a
minute.

Soon after, he commenced teaching school in Bradford, Mass., and
subsequently in Concord, N. H. In the latter place he became acquainted
with the rich widow of Col. Rolfe, and, though only nineteen years of
age, married her. But this calamity he survived, and acted a conspicuous
part in the American Revolution. Soon after the battle of Bunker Hill,
having lost his wife, he embarked for England, bearing despatches to the
English government. There he soon became distinguished as a learned man
and philosopher, and was elected a member of the Royal Society. He was
knighted in 1784.

The King of Bavaria became acquainted with him, and, attracted by his
marked abilities, appointed him to a high office of trust and
responsibility in his court. There he reformed the army and established
a system of common schools. He was strictly economical, and saved
thousands of dollars to the Bavarian government, by "appropriating the
paper used to teach writing in the military schools, to the
manufacturing of cartridges by the soldiery."

He was a man of great kindness and benevolence, by which he was prompted
to establish a reformatory institution for the mendicants of Bavaria,
and so great was its success that it became renowned all over Europe.
The sovereign conferred one honor after another upon him, and finally
"created him a count by the name of Rumford, in honor of Concord, New
Hampshire, whose original name was Rumford."

His writings upon philosophical subjects were valued highly, and widely
circulated. He was a leader in founding the Royal Society of Great
Britain. He gave five thousand dollars to the Academy of Arts and
Sciences of Massachusetts to establish a premium to encourage
improvement and discoveries, and a like sum to the Royal Society of
Great Britain. He died in 1814, at the age of sixty-two, and by his will
"bequeathed $1,000 annually and the reversion of his estate, to found
the Rumford Professorshi