founded, he communicated to Mr. Collinson, in his letter of September 1, 1747, with his usual caution and modesty, in the following terms.

"The necessary trouble of copying long letters, which, perhaps, when they come to your hands may contain nothing new, or worth your reading (so quick is the progress made with you in electricity) half discourages me from writing more on that subject. Yet I cannot forbear adding a few observations on M. Muschenbroek's wonderful bottle." In this letter, he discloses the whole magical powers of this bottle; by proving that it would receive an accumulation of the electric fluid on the inside, only as it discharged an equal quantity from the outside. This discovery gave him the greatest advantages over all the electricians of Europe. It put into his hands (as it were) the key which opened into all the secrets of electricity, and enabled him to make his succeeding experiments, with a sure aim, while his brethren in Europe were groping in the dark, and some of them falling martyrs to their experiments.

He was the first who fired gun-powder, gave magnetism to needles of steel, melted metals, and killed animals of considerable size, by means of electricity. He was the first who informed electricians, and the world in general, of the power of matalline-points, in conducting the electric fluid; acknowledging at the same time, with a candour worthy of true philosophy, that he received the first information of this power from Mr. Thomas Hopkinson*, who had used such

"This power of points, to throw off the electrical fire, was first commu. nicated to me by my ingenious friend, Mr. Thomas Hopkinson, since

points, expecting by their means to procure a more powerful and concentrated discharge of the Leydenphial; but found the effect to be directly contrary. It was, undoubtedly, the discovery of this wonderful power of metalline-points, in carrying off and silentlydispersing the electric-fluid when accumulated, and the similarity and resemblance which he observed between the effects of lightning and electricity, which first suggested to him the sublime and astonishing idea of draining the clouds of their fire, and disarming the thunder of its terrors; flattering himself at the same time with the pleasing hopes of gratifying a desire, long before become habitual to him, of rendering this discovery in some manner useful and beneficial to his fellow-creatures. This appears by his notes of November 7, 1749, when enumerating all the known particulars of resemblance between lightning and electricity, he concludes with saying-"The electric fluid is attracted by points. We do not know whether this property be in lightning; but since they agree in all the particulars in which we can already compare them, it is possible that they agree likewise in this: Let the experiment be made." Difficulties, without doubt, occurred in making this experiment, both as to the manner and least expensive way of reaching the clouds with his points; for we do not find that he accomplished his grand experiment, till in June 1752. In In a letter to his friend Collinson, not dated, but probably written in 1749, he commu

J.

deceased; whose virtue and integrity, in every station of life, public and private, will ever make his memory dear to those who knew him, and knew how to value him."

nicates his "Observations and suppositions towards forming a new hypothesis, for explaining the several phænomena of thunder-gusts;" which was followed in July, 1750, by another letter to the same, containing" opinions and conjectures concerning the properties and effects of the electric matter," and giving particular directions for determining whether clouds containing lightning are electrified or not; for ascertaining of which, his idea at this time was, "the placing a pointed iron-rod on some high tower or steeple, and attempting to draw sparks from it," there being at that time no lofty spires in Philadelphia. But his ever-inventive genius, which could derive lessons of philosophy even from the play of children, soon furnished him with a more simple and less expensive method: For in June 1752, he took the opportunity of an approaching thunder-storm, to walk into a field, where there was a shed convenient for his purpose. Dreading the ridicule which too commonly attends unsuccessful attempts in science, he communicated his intended experiment to no person but his son, who assisted him in raising a kite, which he had prepared of a large silk handkerchief, extended by two cross-sticks. After waiting for some time, and almost beginning to despair of success, he drew the first spark with his knuckle from a key suspended to the string of the kite. Another and another succeeded; and as the string became wet, he collected fire copiously. What must have been his raptures on the success of this grand experiment; leading him to anticipate that happy and beneficent application of the principles of electricity, to the sav

ing of life and property, which alone would have recorded his name among the benefactors of mankind; even if his discoveries of those principles could never have been extended or applied to any other useful purpose in the world. Similar must his raptures have been to those of a Newton, when by applying the laws of gravitation and projection first to the moon, he was enabled to extend them to the whole Solar-system, as is beautifully described by the poet

What were his raptures then! how pure! how strong!
And what the triumphs of old Greece and Rome
With his compar'd-When Nature and her laws
Stood all subdued by Him, and open laid
Their every latent Glory to his view.

All intellectual Eye; our Solar round
First gazing thro', he by the blended Power
Of Gravitation and Projection saw

The whole in silent Harmony revolve.

First to the neighb'ring Moon this mighty Key
Of Nature he applied-Behold! it turn'd

The secret wards; it open'd wide the course
And various aspects of the Queen of Night;
Whether she wanes into a scanty Orb

Or, waxing broad, with her pale shadowy Light,
In a soft Deluge overflows the Sky*.

Dr. Franklin's Letters, giving an account of his electrical experiments and discoveries, and, among the rest, of this grand experiment of drawing electricity from the clouds, were soon published in Europe, and translated into different languages. "Nothing

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was ever written on the subject of electricity,"

• Thomson's poem to the memory of Sir Isaac Newton.

says Dr. Priestly, "which was more generally read "and admired in all parts of Europe, than those Let"ters. Electricans Electricans every where employed them"selves in repeating his experiments, or exhibiting "them for money. All the world, in a manner, and "even kings themselves, flocked to see them, and all "returned full of admiration for the inventor of "them."

Amidst this general admiration, Dr. Franklin himself continued to communicate his knowledge and discoveries under the humble appellation of conjectures or guesses: But no man ever made bolder or happier guesses, either in philosophy or politicks: He was likewise a bold experimenter in both. He had by accident received a discharge of two of his large electrical jars through his head, which struck him to the ground, but did him no lasting injury. He had likewise seen a young woman receive a still greater shock or discharge of electricity through her head, which she had inadvertently brought too near the conductor, which knocked her down; but she instantly got up, and complained of nothing further. This encouraged him to make the experiment on six men at the same time, the first placing his hand on the head of the second, and so on. He then discharged his two jars, by laying his conducting rod on the head of the first man. They all dropt together; thinking they had been struck down, as it were, by some kind of magic, or secret operation of nature; declaring when they rose that they had neither seen the flash, nor heard the report of any discharge.