Talk:Benjamin Thompson
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Benjamin Thompson was head of the "Queens Rangers" on Long Island, said to have torn down Presbyterian churches to create "Fort Golgotha" in the old cemetery on top of the hill in Huntington, New York (called "Ashford" under "Lord Protector" Oliver Cromwell). Nathan Hale, after capture, was brought there before being taken to New York City, where he was hung and there stated its said, "I regret having only one life to lose for my country." A monument in Huntington, NY there attests to him being there. Where he was buried it is not known. Nathan Hale's statue in New York City, has been recently moved to the front of City Hall, in City Hall Park, after renovations there in 1999. For many years it was on the northwest corner of the park, near Chambers St. and Broadway. It now faces the statue of Benjamin Franklin across the street, who also once had a small press there. The other statue in the park is of Horace Greeley.
Removed Baked Alaska until a reference is cited. Removed "popularity with women," looks like vandalism. RPellessier | Talk 18:34, 23 April 2006 (UTC)
"When the American Revolution began, Thompson was a man of property and standing in New England, so was naturally opposed to the rebels." I am going to be removing the part about the "naterually opposed." It is misleding in that many of rebels in New England were men of property and standing, so as a man of wealth he was not inclined to oppose anything.
[edit] Merge proposal: Benjamin Thompson House to here
The article on his house is tiny and pretty much an orphan. Shouldn't we just merge it in here? Please suppport or oppose with reasons below. Dicklyon 02:32, 25 July 2007 (UTC)
- Oppose: The house article is not an orphan. It is part of the series on places listed in the United States National Register of Historic Places. To merge it would dilute the importance of the house article. The house article is about the physical location rather than the person. clariosophic 20:29, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
[edit] "arguements for design" and "divine providence"
I'd like to see some substantiation of the claim that Rumford was arguing for design and divine providence in looking to fur as an example. Here is the paragraph I found:
"But among all the various substances of which coverings may be formed for confining heat, none can be employed with greater advantage than common atmospheric air. It is what nature employs for that purpose; and we cannot do better than to imitate her." from "Of the Management of Fire and the Economy of Fuel", Chapter III, paragraph 10.
He then goes on to discuss the mechanism by which fur, wool and feather constrain the movement of air and therefore reduce the loss of heat.
So, here he makes only a bland nod to "nature" and makes no mention of providence nor design. I don't know what his predilection in this regard might have been, or whether he might have argued for providence or design elsewhere, but I have not yet found such a reference in his writings. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.137.183.36 (talk) 19:08, 22 January 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Correction on Cause and Effect
I have edited the language in this entry to the following: "Thompson was a man of property and standing in New England, and was opposed to the rebels." The original language indicated that the first condition implied opposition to the rebels. The original author would be hard pressed to prove such causality in general or in relation to Thompson. Counterexamples would include George Washington and John Hancock. If the original authors think there was some sort of causality in Thompson's specific case, then that would be interesting. One might make the argument, for example, that Thompson married specifically for the financial and social benefits offered by his wife, if there is independent evidence for such...and then that he curried favor with the British because he perceived an opportunity to rise ... and then that he took his wife's money with him to Europe. (How after all did he become a wealthy man in Europe?) But is this true? In 1776 McCullough reports that Thompson was one of several who departed for the Brits as a result of a sort of a falling out with Washington's forces during the seige of Boston. That rings a little truer. Carlfoss (talk) 16:32, 11 March 2008 (UTC)
