_Spence's Experiments in Electricity. Franklin repeats them. Makes
important Discoveries. Letters to Collinson. Experiment with the Kite.
Publication of his Letters. Anecdote of the Abbe Nollet. Fame of
Franklin. Elected a Member of the Royal Society._
1. It was in the year 1746, that Franklin first attended to the branch
of philosophy in which he afterwards became so distinguished. During
that year he was in Boston, and there met with a Dr. Spence, who
showed him some experiments in electricity. It was a subject
altogether new to him, and, though the experiments were not very well
performed, they surprised and pleased him.
2. If you take a stick of sealing-wax, or a glass tube, or a piece of
amber which has been a long time untouched, and bring it near some
small pieces of paper, chaff, or other light substance, it produces no
impression upon them. But if you first rub lightly and briskly the
wax, the tube, or the amber, with a piece of dry woollen cloth, or cat
skin, and then bring it near any of these light substances, you will
find that they fly to it, and remain upon it. The power which attracts
these substances, and which is excited by the rubbing, is called
_electricity_.
3. It is so called from a Greek word which signifies amber, the
substance in which this power was first observed. Amber is a brittle
mineral substance, of a yellow, and sometimes a reddish brown color.
It is found in several countries in Europe, and has recently been
found in the United States, at Cape Sable, in Maryland. This is the
substance with which the first electrical experiment was performed,
ages ago, by a Greek philosopher of the name of Thales.
4. Several centuries passed without any thing being known upon this
subject, beyond the fact that these substances possessed this power.
At length it began to attract the attention of modern philosophers. In
1742, several ingenious Germans engaged in the subject, and the
results of their researches astonished all Europe. They obtained large
apparatus, by means of which they were enabled to collect large
quantities of the electric fluid, and produce several wonders which
had been before unobserved.
5. These experiments excited the curiosity of other philosophers. Mr.
Peter Collinson, fellow of the Royal Society of London, about the year
1745, sent to the library company of Philadelphia a glass tube, with
some account of its use in making such experiments. Franklin eagerly
seized the opportunity of repeating those which he had seen at Boston,
and, by much practice, acquired great readiness in performing those of
which they had an account from England.
6. He was soon enabled to make a number of important discoveries, and
his house was, for some time, continually full of people who came to
see the new wonders. His observations upon the subject were, from time
to time, communicated to his friend Collinson, in a series of letters,
the first of which is dated March 28, 1747. These were read before the
Royal Society, where they were not at first thought worthy of much
attention.
7. In the year 1749, Franklin first suggested the idea of explaining
the sameness of electricity with lightning. A paper upon this subject,
which he wrote for Mr. Kinnersly, was read before the members of the
Royal Society, and excited a hearty laugh. But it was the lot of this
neglected theory to be generally adopted by philosophers, and to bid
fair to endure for ages.
8. It was in the same year, that Franklin started the plan of proving
the truth of his doctrine, by actually drawing down the lightning, by
means of sharp-pointed iron rods raised high into the clouds. It was
not until the summer of 1752, that he was enabled to complete his
grand discovery by actual experiment.
9. The plan which he had first proposed was, to erect a box on some
high tower, or other elevated place, from which should rise a pointed
iron rod. He thought that electrified clouds, passing over it, would
impart a portion of their electricity, which would be made evident by
presenting a key or the knuckle to it. There was at this time, in
Philadelphia, no opportunity of trying an experiment of the kind. But
while Franklin was waiting for the erection of a spire, it occurred to
him that he might have a more ready access to the clouds by means of a
common kite.
10. He prepared a kite by fastening two cross sticks to a silk
handkerchief, which would not suffer from the rain so much as paper.
To the upright stick he affixed an iron point. The string was, as
usual, of hemp, excepting the lower end, which was made of silk,
because this substance does not give a free passage to the
electricity.
11. With this kite, on the appearance of a thunder storm, he went out
into the commons with his son, to whom alone he had communicated his
intentions. He placed himself under a shed to avoid the rain; his kite
was raised--a thunder cloud passed over it, but no sign of electricity
appeared. The experiment had almost been given up in despair, when he
perceived, in the loose fibres of the string, evident appearances of
electricity. By continued observation the fact was most clearly
proved; and the honor of establishing the sameness of electricity and
lightning was won by Franklin.
12. The letters which Franklin had sent to Mr. Collinson were
published by that gentleman in a separate volume, under the title
of "New Experiments and Observations on Electricity, made at
Philadelphia, in America." They were read with great eagerness, and
soon translated into different languages. A very incorrect French
translation fell into the hands of the celebrated Buffon, who was much
pleased with it, and performed the experiments with success. A more
correct translation was undertaken at his request, and contributed
much towards spreading a knowledge of Franklin's principles in France.
His experiments were repeated by most of the distinguished
philosophers throughout Europe.
13. By these experiments, the truth of Franklin's doctrine was
established in the firmest manner. When it could no longer be doubted,
some men were anxious to take away from its merit. It was considered
at that time rather mortifying to the European philosophers, to admit
that an American could make important discoveries which had escaped
their notice.
14. The Abbe Nollet, preceptor in natural philosophy to the royal
family of France, was exceedingly offended at the publication of
Franklin's letters. He had himself written about electricity, and
could not at first believe that such a work had really come from
America. He said it must have been composed by his enemies in Paris,
to oppose his system. Afterwards, having been assured that there
really existed such a person as Franklin at Philadelphia, he published
a volume of letters, in defence of his own ideas upon the subject, and
denying the propositions of the American philosopher.
15. Franklin thought at one time of writing a letter in reply to the
abbe, and actually began one. But on considering that any one might
repeat his experiments, and ascertain for himself whether or not they
were true, he concluded to let his papers shift for themselves;
believing it was better to spend what time he could spare in making
new experiments than in disputing about those already made.
16. The event gave him no cause to repent of his silence. His friend,
Monsieur Le Roy, of the Royal Academy of Sciences, took up his cause,
and refuted the abbe. Franklin's volume was translated into the
Italian, German and Latin languages; and the doctrine it contained
was, by degrees, generally adopted by the philosophers of Europe, in
preference to that of Nollet.
17. What gave his book the more sudden and general celebrity was the
success of one of its proposed experiments, made at Marly, for drawing
lightning from the clouds. This engaged the public attention every
where. The "Philadelphia experiments," as they were called, were
performed before the king and court, and all the curious of Paris
flocked to see them.
18. Dr. Wright, an English physician, was at Paris when they were the
talk and wonder of the day. He wrote to a member of the Royal Society
an account of the high esteem in which the experiments of Franklin
were held by learned men abroad and of their surprise that his
writings had been so little noticed in England. The society, on this,
resumed the consideration of the letters that had been read to them,
and a summary account of their doctrines was drawn up and published
among their philosophical essays and transactions.
19. To make Franklin some amends for the slight with which they had
before treated him, the society chose him a member, without his having
made the usual application. They also presented him with the gold
medal of Sir Godfrey Copley for the year 1753, the delivery of which
was accompanied by a very complimentary speech from the president,
Lord Macclesfield.
* * * * *
1. When did Franklin first attend to electricity?
2. Relate the substance of the second paragraph.
3. From what is the word electricity derived? What is amber? Where is
it found?
4. When was the subject first examined by modern philosophers?
5. What did Mr. Collinson send to Philadelphia?
7. When did Franklin first suggest that electricity and lightning were
the same?
8. How did he propose to prove the truth of his doctrine? When did he
prove it by actual experiment?
9. What plans had he at first proposed? What occurred to him
afterwards?
10. How did he prepare the kite?
11. Relate the progress of the experiment.
12. Under what title were Franklin's letters on the subject printed?
How were they received? By whose request was a correct French
translation made?
13. What was the result of the establishment of Franklin's doctrine?
14. What was the conduct of the Abbe Nollet?
15. What course did Franklin pursue on the subject?
16. Did he regret his silence? State the substance of this paragraph.
17. What gave the book the more general celebrity?
18. Who was Dr. Wright? What communication did he make to the Royal
Society?
19. What honors did the society confer upon him?