thought it right he should be inform'd of our success in using it, and
wrote him several letters containing accounts of our experiments. He got
them read in the Royal Society, where they were not at first thought
worth so much notice as to be printed in their Transactions. One paper,
which I wrote for Mr. Kinnersley, on the sameness of lightning with
electricity, I sent to Dr. Mitchel, an acquaintance of mine, and one of
the members also of that society, who wrote me word that it had been
read, but was laughed at by the connoisseurs. The papers, however, being
shown to Dr. Fothergill, he thought them of too much value to be
stifled, and advis'd the printing of them. Mr. Collinson then gave them
to _Cave_ for publication in his Gentleman's Magazine; but he chose to
print them separately in a pamphlet, and Dr. Fothergill wrote the
preface. Cave, it seems, judged rightly for his profit, for by the
additions that arrived afterward they swell'd, to a quarto volume, which
has had five editions, and cost him nothing for copy-money.
It was, however, some time before those papers were much taken notice of
in England. A copy of them happening to fall into the hands of the Count
de Buffon, a philosopher deservedly of great reputation in France, and,
indeed, all over Europe, he prevailed with M. Dalibard to translate them
into French, and they were printed at Paris. The publication offended
the Abbé Nollet, preceptor in Natural Philosophy to the royal family,
and an able experimenter, who had form'd and publish'd a theory of
electricity, which then had the general vogue. He could not at first
believe that such a work came from America, and said it must have been
fabricated by his enemies at Paris, to decry his system. Afterwards,
having been assur'd that there really existed such a person as Franklin
at Philadelphia, which he had doubted, he wrote and published a volume
of Letters, chiefly address'd to me, defending his theory, and denying
the verity of my experiments, and of the positions deduc'd from them.
I once purpos'd answering the abbé, and actually began the answer; but,
on consideration that my writings contain'd a description of experiments
which any one might repeat and verify, and if not to be verifi'd, could
not be defended; or of observations offer'd as conjectures, and not
delivered dogmatically, therefore not laying me under any obligation to
defend them; and reflecting that a dispute between two persons, writing
in different languages, might be lengthened greatly by mistranslations,
and thence misconceptions of one another's meaning, much of one of the
abbé's letters being founded on an error in the translation, I concluded
to let my papers shift for themselves, believing it was better to spend
what time I could spare from public business in making new experiments,
than in disputing about those already made. I therefore never answered
M. Nollet, and the event gave me no cause to repent my silence; for my
friend M. le Roy, of the Royal Academy of Sciences, took up my cause and
refuted him; my book was translated into the Italian, German, and Latin
languages; and the doctrine it contain'd was by degrees universally
adopted by the philosophers of Europe, in preference to that of the
abbé; so that he lived to see himself the last of his sect, except
Monsieur B----, of Paris, his _élève_ and immediate disciple.
What gave my book the more sudden and general celebrity, was the success
of one of its proposed experiments, made by Messrs. Dalibard and De Lor
at Marly, for drawing lightning from the clouds. This engag'd the public
attention every where. M. de Lor, who had an apparatus for experimental
philosophy, and lectur'd in that branch of science, undertook to repeat
what he called the _Philadelphia Experiments_; and, after they were
performed before the king and court, all the curious of Paris flocked to
see them. I will not swell this narrative with an account of that
capital experiment, nor of the infinite pleasure I receiv'd in the
success of a similar one I made soon after with a kite at Philadelphia,
as both are to be found in the histories of electricity.
Dr. Wright, an English physician, when at Paris, wrote to a friend, who
was of the Royal Society, an account of the high esteem my experiments
were in among the learned abroad, and of their wonder that my writings
had been so little noticed in England. The Society, on this, resum'd the
consideration of the letters that had been read to them; and the
celebrated Dr. Watson drew up a summary account of them, and of all I
had afterwards sent to England on the subject, which he accompanied with
some praise of the writer. This summary was then printed in their
Transactions; and some members of the Society in London, particularly
the very ingenious Mr. Canton, having verified the experiment of
procuring lightning from the clouds by a pointed rod, and acquainting
them with the success, they soon made me more than amends for the slight
with which they had before treated me. Without my having made any
application for that honour, they chose me a member, and voted that I
should be excus'd the customary payments, which would have amounted to
twenty-five guineas; and ever since have given me their Transactions
gratis. They also presented me with the gold medal of Sir Godfrey Copley
for the year 1753, the delivery of which was accompanied by a very
handsome speech of the president, Lord Macclesfield, wherein I was
highly honoured.
* * * * *
DOGOOD PAPERS, NO. I
(From Monday March 26. to Monday April 2. 1722.)
_To the Author of the_ New-England Courant.
SIR,
It may not be improper in the first Place to inform your Readers, that I
intend once a Fortnight to present them, by the Help of this Paper, with
a short Epistle, which I presume will add somewhat to their
Entertainment.
And since it is observed, that the Generality of People, now a days, are
unwilling either to commend or dispraise what they read, until they are
in some measure informed who or what the Author of it is, whether he be
_poor_ or _rich_, _old_ or _young_, a _Scollar_ or a _Leather Apron
Man_, &c. and give their Opinion of the Performance, according to the
Knowledge which they have of the Author's Circumstances, it may not be
amiss to begin with a short Account of my past Life and present
Condition, that the Reader may not be at a Loss to judge whether or no
my Lucubrations are worth his reading.
At the time of my Birth, my Parents were on Ship-board in their Way from
_London_ to _N. England_. My Entrance into this troublesome World was
attended with the Death of my Father, a Misfortune, which tho' I was not
then capable of knowing, I shall never be able to forget; for as he,
poor Man, stood upon the Deck rejoycing at my Birth, a merciless Wave
entred the Ship, and in one Moment carry'd him beyond Reprieve. Thus was
the _first_ Day which I saw, the _last_ that was seen by my Father; and
thus was my disconsolate Mother at once made both a _Parent_ and a
_Widow_.
When we arrived at _Boston_ (which was not long after) I was put to
Nurse in a Country Place, at a small Distance from the Town, where I
went to School, and past my Infancy and Childhood in Vanity and
Idleness, until I was bound out Apprentice, that I might no longer be a
Charge to my Indigent Mother, who was put to hard Shifts for a Living.
My Master was a Country Minister, a pious good-natur'd young Man, & a
Batchelor: He labour'd with all his Might to instil vertuous and godly
Principles into my tender Soul, well knowing that it was the most
suitable Time to make deep and lasting Impressions on the Mind, while it
was yet untainted with Vice, free and unbiass'd. He endeavour'd that I
might be instructed in all that Knowledge and Learning which is
necessary for our Sex, and deny'd me no Accomplishment that could
possibly be attained in a Country Place, such as all Sorts of
Needle-Work, Writing, Arithmetick, &c. and observing that I took a more
than ordinary Delight in reading ingenious Books, he gave me the free
Use of his Library, which tho' it was but small, yet it was well chose,
to inform the Understanding rightly and enable the Mind to frame great
and noble Ideas.
Before I had liv'd quite two Years with this Reverend Gentleman, my
indulgent Mother departed this Life, leaving me as it were by my self,
having no Relation on Earth within my Knowledge.
I will not abuse your Patience with a tedious Recital of all the
frivolous Accidents of my Life, that happened from this Time until I
arrived to Years of Discretion, only inform you that I liv'd a chearful
Country Life, spending my leisure Time either in some innocent Diversion
with the neighbouring Females, or in some shady Retirement, with the
best of Company, _Books_. Thus I past away the Time with a Mixture of
Profit and Pleasure, having no Affliction but what was imaginary and
created in my own Fancy; as nothing is more common with us Women, than
to be grieving for nothing, when we have nothing else to grieve for.
As I would not engross too much of your Paper at once, I will defer the
Remainder of my Story until my next Letter; in the mean time desiring
your Readers to exercise their Patience, and bear with my Humours now
and then, because I shall trouble them but seldom. I am not insensible
of the Impossibility of pleasing all, but I would not willingly
displease any; and for those who will take Offence where none is
intended, they are beneath the Notice of
_Your Humble Servant_,
SILINC DOGOOD.
_As the Favour of Mrs. Dogood's Correspondence is acknowledged by the
Publisher of this Paper, lest any of her Letters should miscarry, he
desires they may for the future be deliver'd at his Printing-House, or
at the Blue Ball in Union-Street, and no Questions shall be ask'd of the
Bearer._
DOGOOD PAPERS, NO. IV
(From Monday May 7. to Monday May 14. 1722.)
_An sum etiam nunc vel Græcè loqui vel_ Latinè docendus?
CICERO.
_To the Author of the_ New-England Courant.
SIR,
Discoursing the other Day at Dinner with my Reverend Boarder, formerly
mention'd, (whom for Distinction sake we will call by the Name of
_Clericus_,) concerning the Education of Children, I ask'd his Advice
about my young Son _William_, whether or no I had best bestow upon him
Academical Learning, or (as our Phrase is) _bring him up at our
College_: He perswaded me to do it by all Means, using many weighty
Arguments with me, and answering all the Objections that I could form
against it; telling me withal, that he did not doubt but that the Lad
would take his Learning very well, and not idle away his Time as too
many there now-a-days do. These words of _Clericus_ gave me a Curiosity
to inquire a little more strictly into the present Circumstances of that
famous Seminary of Learning; but the Information which he gave me, was
neither pleasant, nor such as I expected.
As soon as Dinner was over, I took a solitary Walk into my Orchard,
still ruminating on _Clericus's_ Discourse with much Consideration,
until I came to my usual Place of Retirement under the _Great
Apple-Tree_; where having seated my self, and carelessly laid my Head on
a verdant Bank, I fell by Degrees into a soft and undisturbed Slumber.
My waking Thoughts remained with me in my Sleep, and before I awak'd
again, I dreamt the following DREAM.
I fancy'd I was travelling over pleasant and delightful Fields and
Meadows, and thro' many small Country Towns and Villages; and as I
pass'd along, all Places resounded with the Fame of the Temple of
LEARNING: Every Peasant, who had wherewithal, was preparing to send one
of his Children at least to this famous Place; and in this Case most of
them consulted their own Purses instead of their Childrens Capacities:
So that I observed, a great many, yea, the most part of those who were
travelling thither, were little better than Dunces and Blockheads. Alas!
Alas!
At length I entred upon a spacious Plain, in the Midst of which was
erected a large and stately Edifice: It was to this that a great Company
of Youths from all Parts of the Country were going; so stepping in among
the Crowd, I passed on with them, and presently arrived at the Gate.
The Passage was Kept by two sturdy Porters named _Riches_ and
_Poverty_, and the latter obstinately refused to give Entrance to any
who had not first gain'd the Favour of the former; so that I observed,
many who came even to the very Gate, were obliged to travel back again
as ignorant as they came, for want of this necessary Qualification.
However, as a Spectator I gain'd Admittance, and with the rest entred
directly into the Temple.
In the Middle of the great Hall stood a stately and magnificent Throne,
which was ascended to by two high and difficult Steps. On the Top of it
sat LEARNING in awful State; she was apparelled wholly in Black, and
surrounded almost on every Side with innumerable Volumes in all
Languages. She seem'd very busily employ'd in writing something on half
a Sheet of Paper, and upon Enquiry, I understood she was preparing a
Paper, call'd, _The New-England Courant_. On her Right Hand sat
_English_, with a pleasant smiling Countenance, and handsomely attir'd;
and on her left were seated several _Antique Figures_ with their Faces
vail'd. I was considerably puzzl'd to guess who they were, until one
informed me, (who stood beside me,) that those Figures on her left Hand
were _Latin_, _Greek_, _Hebrew_, &c. and that they were very much
reserv'd, and seldom or never unvail'd their Faces here, and then to few
or none, tho' most of those who have in this Place acquir'd so much
Learning as to distinguish them from _English_, pretended to an intimate
Acquaintance with them. I then enquir'd of him, what could be the Reason
why they continued vail'd, in this Place especially: He pointed to the
Foot of the Throne, where I saw _Idleness_, attended with _Ignorance_,
and these (he informed me) were they, who first vail'd them, and still
kept them so.
Now I observed, that the whole Tribe who entred into the Temple with me,
began to climb the Throne; but the Work; proving troublesome and
difficult to most of them, they withdrew their Hands from the Plow, and
contented themselves to sit at the Foot, with Madam _Idleness_ and her
Maid _Ignorance_, until those who were assisted by Diligence and a
docible Temper, had well nigh got up the first Step: But the Time
drawing nigh in which they could no way avoid ascending, they were fain
to crave the Assistance of those who had got up before them, and who,
for the Reward perhaps of a _Pint of Milk_, or a _Piece of Plumb-Cake_,
lent the Lubbers a helping Hand, and sat them in the Eye of the World,
upon a Level with themselves.
The other Step being in the same Manner ascended, and the usual
Ceremonies at an End, every Beetle-Scull seem'd well satisfy'd with his
own Portion of Learning, tho' perhaps he was _e'en just_ as ignorant as
ever. And now the Time of their Departure being come, they march'd out
of Doors to make Room for another Company, who waited for Entrance: And
I, having seen all that was to be seen, quitted the Hall likewise, and
went to make my Observations on those who were just gone out before me.
Some I perceiv'd took to Merchandizing, others to Travelling, some to
one Thing, some to another, and some to Nothing; and many of them from
henceforth, for want of Patrimony, liv'd as poor as church Mice, being
unable to dig, and asham'd to beg, and to live by their Wits it was
impossible. But the most Part of the Crowd went along a large beaten
Path, which led to a Temple at the further End of the Plain, call'd,
_The Temple of Theology_. The Business of those who were employ'd in
this Temple being laborious and painful, I wonder'd exceedingly to see
so many go towards it; but while I was pondering this Matter in my Mind,
I spy'd _Pecunia_ behind a Curtain, beckoning to them with her Hand,
which Sight immediately satisfy'd me for whose Sake it was, that a great
Part of them (I will not say all) travel'd that Road. In this Temple I
saw nothing worth mentioning, except the ambitious and fraudulent
Contrivances of _Plagius_, who (notwithstanding he had been severely
reprehended for such Practices before) was diligently transcribing some
eloquent Paragraphs out of _Tillotson's_ Works, &c. to embellish his
own.
Now I bethought my self in my Sleep, that it was Time to be at Home, and
as I fancy'd I was travelling back thither, I reflected in my Mind on
the extream Folly of those Parents, who, blind to their Childrens
Dulness, and insensible of the Solidity of their Skulls, because they
think their Purses can afford it, will needs send them to the Temple of
Learning, where, for want of a suitable Genius, they learn little more
than how to carry themselves handsomely, and enter a Room genteely,
(which might as well be acquir'd at a Dancing-School,) and from whence
they return, after Abundance of Trouble and Charge, as great Blockheads
as ever, only more proud and self-conceited.
While I was in the midst of these unpleasant Reflections, _Clericus_
(who with a Book in his Hand was walking under the Trees) accidentally
awak'd me; to him I related my Dream with all its Particulars, and he,
without much Study, presently interpreted it, assuring me, _That it was
a lively Representation of HARVARD COLLEGE, Etcetera._
_I remain, Sir,
Your Humble Servant,_
SILENCE DOGOOD.
DOGOOD PAPERS, NO. V
(From Monday May 21. to Monday May 28. 1722.)
_Mulier Muliere magis congruet._--TER.
_To the Author of the_ New-England Courant.
SIR,
I shall here present your Readers with a Letter from one, who informs me
that I have begun at the wrong End of my Business, and that I ought to
begin at Home, and censure the Vices and Follies of my own Sex, before I
venture to meddle with your's: Nevertheless, I am resolved to dedicate
this Speculation to the Fair Tribe, and endeavour to show, that Mr.
_Ephraim_ charges Women with being particularly guilty of Pride,
Idleness, &c. wrongfully, inasmuch as the Men have not only as great a
Share in those Vices as the Women, but are likewise in a great Measure
the Cause of that which the Women are guilty of. I think it will be best
to produce my Antagonist, before I encounter him.
_To Mrs._ DOGOOD.
_Madam_,
My Design in troubling you with this Letter is, to desire you
would begin with your own Sex first: Let the first Volley of
your Resentments be directed against _Female_ Vice; let
Female Idleness, Ignorance and Folly, (which are Vices more
peculiar to your Sex than to our's,) be the Subject of your
Satyrs, but more especially Female Pride, which I think is
intollerable. Here is a large Field that wants Cultivation,
and which I believe you are able (if willing) to improve with
Advantage; and when you have once reformed the Women, you
will find it a much easier Task to reform the Men, because
Women are the prime Causes of a great many Male Enormities.
This is all at present from
_Your Friendly Wellwisher,_
Ephraim Censorious.
After Thanks to my Correspondent for his Kindness in cutting out Work
for me, I must assure him, that I find it a very difficult Matter to
reprove Women separate from the Men; for what Vice is there in which the
Men have not as great a Share as the Women? and in some have they not a
far greater, as in Drunkenness, Swearing, &c.? And if they have, then it
follows, that when a Vice is to be reproved, Men, who are most culpable,
deserve the most Reprehension, and certainly therefore, ought to have
it. But we will wave this point at present, and proceed to a particular
Consideration of what my Correspondent calls _Female Vice_.
As for Idleness, if I should _Quære_, Where are the greatest Number of
its Votaries to be found, with us or the Men? it might I believe be
easily and truly answer'd, _With the latter_. For, notwithstanding the
Men are commonly complaining how hard they are forc'd to labour, only to
maintain their Wives in Pomp and Idleness, yet if you go among the
Women, you will learn, that _they have always more Work upon their Hands
than they are able to do_, and that _a Woman's Work is never done_, &c.
But however, Suppose we should grant for once, that we are generally
more idle than the Men, (without making any Allowance for the _Weakness
of the Sex_,) I desire to know whose Fault it is? Are not the Men to
blame for their Folly in maintaining us in Idleness? Who is there that
can be handsomely supported in Affluence, Ease and Pleasure by another,
that will chuse rather to earn his Bread by the Sweat of his own Brows?
And if a Man will be so fond and so foolish, as to labour hard himself
for a Livelihood, and suffer his Wife in the mean Time to sit in Ease
and Idleness, let him not blame her if she does so, for it is in a great
Measure his own Fault.
And now for the Ignorance and Folly which he reproaches us with, let us
see (if we are Fools and Ignoramus's) whose is the Fault, the Men's or
our's. An ingenious Writer, having this Subject in Hand, has the
following Words, wherein he lays the Fault wholly on the Men, for not
allowing Women the Advantages of Education.
"I have (says he) often thought of it as one of the most
barbarous Customs in the World, considering us as a civiliz'd
and Christian Country, that we deny the Advantages of
Learning to Women. We reproach the Sex every Day with Folly
and Impertinence, while I am confident, had they the
Advantages of Education equal to us, they would be guilty of
less than our selves. One would wonder indeed how it should
happen that Women are conversible at all, since they are only
beholding to natural Parts for all their Knowledge. Their
Youth is spent to teach them to stitch and sow, or make
Baubles. They are taught to read indeed, and perhaps to write
their Names, or so; and that is the Heigth of a Womans
Education. And I would but ask any who slight the Sex for
their Understanding, What is a Man (a Gentleman, I mean) good
for that is taught no more? If Knowledge and Understanding
had been useless Additions to the Sex, God Almighty would
never have given them Capacities, for he made nothing
Needless. What has the Woman done to forfeit the Priviledge
of being taught? Does she plague us with her Pride and
Impertinence? Why did we not let her learn, that she might
have had more Wit? Shall we upraid Women with Folly, when
'tis only the Error of this inhumane Custom that hindred them
being made wiser."
So much for Female Ignorance and Folly; and now let us a little consider
the Pride which my Correspondent thinks is _intolerable_. By this
Expression of his, one would think he is some dejected Swain, tyranniz'd
over by some cruel haughty Nymph, who (perhaps he thinks) has no more
Reason to be proud than himself. _Alas-a-day!_ What shall we say in this
Case! Why truly, if Women are proud, it is certainly owing to the Men
still; for if they will be such _Simpletons_ as to humble themselves at
their Feet, and fill their credulous Ears with extravagant Praises of
their Wit, Beauty, and other Accomplishments (perhaps where there are
none too,) and when Women are by this Means perswaded that they are
Something more than humane, what Wonder is it, if they carry themselves
haughtily, and live extravagantly. Notwithstanding, I believe there are
more Instances of extravagant Pride to be found among Men than among
Women, and this Fault is certainly more hainous in the former than in
the latter.
Upon the whole, I conclude, that it will be impossible to lash any Vice,
of which the Men, are not equally guilty with the Women, and
consequently deserve an equal (if not a greater), Share in the Censure.
However, I exhort both to amend, where both are culpable, otherwise they
may expect to be severely handled by
Sir,
_Your Humble Servant,_
SILENCE DOGOOD.
N. B. _Mrs._ Dogood _has lately left her Seat in the Country, and come
to Boston, where she intends to tarry for the Summer Season, in order to
compleat her Observations of the present reigning Vices of the Town._
DOGOOD PAPERS, NO. VII
(From Monday June 18. to Monday June 25. 1722.)
_Give me the Muse, whose generous Force,
Impatient of the Reins,
Pursues an unattempted Course,
Breaks all the Criticks Iron Chains._
WATTS.
_To the Author of the_ New-England Courant.
SIR,