Page:The Journal of English and Germanic Philology Volume 18.djvu/226

 220 Emerson One pathetic interest attaches to Count Rumford's altera- tion in the English fireplace. By reason of his narrowing the throat of the chimney a "chimney sweep" could not ascend to perform his necessary but extremely disagreeable office. It would seem that an ingenious mind like the Count's might have provided some less inhuman means of removing soot. But, alas, it was too early for humanitarian considerations to weigh. Count Rumford made careful provision for removing a part of the false back he devised, so that the poor " sweep" could be thrust up the chimney and dragged to the top as he performed his melancholy task. OLIVER FARRAR EMERSON. Western Reserve University.