e and as an officer; and he had risen
in Bavaria to be more than half a king in power, with the titles, among
others, of privy councillor of state, and head of the war department,
lieutenant-general of the Bavarian armies, holder of the Polish order of
St. Stanislas and the Bavarian order of the White Eagle, ambassador to
England and to France, and, finally, count of the Holy Roman Empire.
Once, in a time of crisis, Rumford was actually left at the head of
a council of regency, in full charge of Bavarian affairs, the elector
having fled. The Yankee grocer-boy had become more than half a king.

Never, perhaps, did a man of equal scientific attainments enjoy a
corresponding political power. Never was political power wielded more
justly by any man.

For in the midst of all his political and military triumphs, Rumford
remained at heart to the very end the scientist and humanitarian. He
wielded power for the good of mankind; he was not merely a ruler but
a public educator. He taught the people of Bavaria economy and Yankee
thrift. He established kitchens for feeding the poor on a plan that was
adopted all over Europe; but, better yet, he created also workshops for
their employment and pleasure-gardens for their recreation. He actually
banished beggary from the principality.

It was in the hope of doing in some measure for London what he had done
for Munich that this large-brained and large-hearted man was led to the
project of the Royal Institution. He first discussed his plans with a
committee of the Society for Alleviating the Condition of the Poor, for
it was the poor, the lower ranks of society, whom he wished chiefly to
benefit. But he knew that to accomplish his object, he must work through
the aristocratic channels; hence the name of the establishment and the
charter with its list of notables. The word institution was selected
by Rumford, after much deliberation, as, on the whole, the least
objectionable title for the establishment, as having a general
inclusiveness not possessed by such words as school or college. Yet in
effect it was a school which Rumford intended to found--a school for
the general diffusion of useful knowledge. There were to be classes
for mechanics, and workshops, kitchens, and model-rooms, where the
"application of science to the useful purposes of life" might be
directly and practically taught; also a laboratory for more technical
investigations, with a "professor" in charge, who should also