he
widow of the famous chemist, Lavoisier, and died in 1814. Count
Rumford's name was Benjamin Thompson, or Thomson. He was a native of the
small town of Rumford (now Concord, in New England), and obtained the
rank of major in the Local Militia. In the war with America he rendered
important services to the officers commanding the British army, and
coming to England was employed by Lord George Germaine, and rewarded with
the rank of a provincial lieutenant-colonel, which entitled him to
half-pay. [Picture: No. 45 Brompton Row] In 1784 he was knighted, and
officiated for a short time as one of the under-secretaries of state. He
afterwards entered the service of the King of Bavaria, in which he
introduced various useful reforms in the civil and military departments,
and for which he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general, and
created a count. At Munich, Count Rumford began those experiments for
the improvements of fire-places and the plans for the better feeding and
regulation of the poor, which have rendered his name familiar to every
one,

"As his own household hearth."

No. 45 was distinguished some years ago by peculiar projecting windows,
now removed, outside of the ordinary windows--an experimental contrivance
by Count Rumford, it is said, for raising the temperature of his rooms.

The same house, in 1810, was inhabited by the Rev. William Beloe, the
translator of Herodotus, and the author of various works between the
years 1783 and 1812. In his last publication, 'The Anecdotes of
Literature,' Mr. Beloe says, "He who has written and published not less
than forty volumes, which is my case, may well congratulate himself,
first, that Providence has graciously spared him for so long a period;
secondly, that sufficient health and opportunity have been afforded; and,
lastly, that he has passed through a career so extended and so perilous
without being seriously implicated in personal or literary hostilities."
It is strange that a man who could feel thus should immediately have
entered upon the composition of a work which appeared as a posthumous
publication in 1817, under the title of 'The Sexagenarian; or, the
Recollections of a Literary Life;' and which contains the following
note:--

"Dr. Parr branded Beloe as an ingrate and a slanderer. He says, 'The
worthy and enlightened Archdeacon Nares disdained to have any concern
in this infamous work.' The Rev. Mr. Rennell, of Kensington, cou