20 Life of Dr. Franklin. anfwered with a great ho, ho, ho! If the fees tears in my eyes, fhe laughs the louder, and calls for her cloak and a coach, and goes to fpend money, when I have been, as long as fhe would ftay to hear me, affuring her, with all the anxiety and tenderness of an husband, that I have none to fpare, and that I hope fhe won't make hafte to fee me a prifoner, and her children want bread; the neither appears to believe me, nor to difbelieve me, nor to have one thought of any thing but gadding and pleafure. Now, for all this thoughtlefinefs and miferable folly, the woman is far from being a fool: fhe has a great deal of wit and vivacity, with the look and addrefs of a woman of fenfe; but a strange infenfibility of every thing but gaiety and rambling; and whatever her conduct is, her inclinations are not vicious. She is not fubject to vice from any violent paffion, for the feems to have no paffions; and therefore neither has The any paffion to refrain her from vice fo that giddinefs and fancy alone govern her. She is deflitute of all fear; fhe has no anxiety what I think of her, or what the world fay of her, and no regard to a good or a bad name; fo that I can have no hold of her. Some are pushed to evil by one paflion, or kept from it by another; and is balance is what we call reafon. But my wife commits folly from pure weaknefs, without appetites: fhe is infenfible, and therefore ungovernable. If the had any paffions I might hope to work fome good upon her by applying to them; but when I talk to her, I talk to a statue. LIFE O F DOCTOR BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. (Continued from Vol. XXIV. p. 685.) IT was not until the fummer of I 1752, that he was enabled to complete his grand and unparalleled difcovery by experiment. The plan which he had originally propofed, was, to erect on fome high tower,. or other elevated place, a fentrybox, from which fhould rife a pointed iron rod, infulated by being fixed in a cake of refin. Electrified clouds paffing over this, would, he conceived, impart to it a portion of their electricity, which would be rendered evident to the fenfes by fparks being emitted, when a key, a knuckle, or other conductor, was prefented to it. Philadelphia at this time afforded no opportunity of trying an experiment of this kind. Whilft Franklin was waiting for the erection of a fpire, it occurred to him, that he might have more ready access to the region of clouds by means of a common kite. He prepared one by attaching two crofs flicks to a filk handkerchief, which would not fuffer fo much from the rain as paper. To his upright ftick was affixed an iron point. The ftring was, as ufual, of hemp, except the lower end, which was filk. Where the hempen ftring terminated, a key was faftened. With this apparatus, on the appearance of a thunder-guft approaching, he went out into the commons, accompanied by his fon, to whom alone he communicated his intentions, well knowing the ridicule which, too generally for the intereft of fcience, awaits unfuccessful experiments in philofophy. He placed himfelf under a fhed to avoid the rain. His kite was raised. A thunder-cloud paffed over it. No fign of electricity appeared. He almoft Life of Dr. Franklin. almost defpaired of fuccefs; when fuddenly he obferved the loofe fibres of his ftring to move towards an erect pofition. He now prefented his knuckle to the key, and received a trong fpark. How exquifite must his fenfations have been at this moment! On this experiment depended the fate of his theory. If he fucceeded, his name would rank high among thofe who have improved fcience; if he failed, he must inevitably be fubjected to the derision of mankind, or, what is worfe, their pity, as a well-meaning man, but a weak, filly projector. The anxiety with which he looked for the refult of his experiment, may easily be conceived. Doubts and despair had begun to prevail, when the fact was afcertained in fo clear a manner, that even the most incredulous could no longer withhold their affent. Repeated fparks were drawn from the key, a phial was charged, a shock given, and all the experiments made which are ufually performed with electricity. 21 electrician. This contributed much towards fpreading a knowledge of Franklin's principles in France. The king, Louis XV. hearing of thefe experiments, expreffed a with to be a spectator of them. A courfe of experiments was given at the feat of the duc d'Ayen, at St. Germain, by M. de Lor. The applaufes which the king beflowed upon Franklin, excited in Buffon, d'Alibard, and de Lor, an earnett defire of afcertaining the truth of his theory of thunder gufts. Buffon erected his apparatus on the tower of Montbar, M. d'Alibar at Maryla-ville, and de Lor at his houfe in the Eftrapade at Paris, fome of the higheft ground in that capital. D'Alibard's machine firft thewed figns of electricity. On the 10th of May, 1752, a thunder-cloud paffed over it, in the abfence of M. d'Alibard; and a number of fparks were drawn from it by Coiffier, a joiner, with whom d'Alibard had left directions how to proceed, and by M. Raulet, the prior of Mary-la-Ville. An acAbout a month before this period, count of this experiment was given fome ingenious Frenchman had com- to the Royal Academy of Sciences, pleted the difcovery, in the manner in a memoir by M. d'Alibard, dated originally propofed by Dr. Frank- May 13th, 1752. On the 18th of lin. The letters which he fent May, M. de Lor proved equally to Mr. Collinfon, it is faid, were fuccefsful with the apparatus erected refufed a place amongst the at his own houfe. Thefe difcoveries papers of the Royal Society of London. foon excited the philofophers of other However this may be, Collinfon parts of Europe to repeat the expepublished them in a feparate volume, riment. Amongst thefe, none figunder the title of New Experiments nalized themselves more than father and Objervations on Electricity, made Beccaria of Turin, to whofe obferat Philadelphia, in America. They vations fcience is much indebted. were read with avidity, and foon Even the cold regions of Ruffia were tranflated into different languages. penetrated by the ardor for difcoveA very incorrect French tranflation ry. Profeffor Richman bade fair to fell into the hands of the celebrated add much to the flock of knowledge Buffon, who, notwithstanding the dif on this fubject, when an unfortunate advantages under which the work flash from his rod put a period to laboured, was much pleafed with his exilence. The friends of science it, and repeated the experiments will long remember with regret the with fuccefs. He prevailed upon amiable martyr to electricity. his friend, M. D'Alibard, to give to By thefe experiments, Franklin's his countryman a more correct tranf-theory was eltabifhed in the most lation of the work of the American firm manner. When the truth of Bertnolon gives it to M. de Romas, affeffor to the prefideal of Nerac; the English paragraphs probably refer to the fame perfon. But a very flight attention will convince us of the injuftice of this procedure: Dr. Franklin's experiment was made in June 1752; and his letter giving an account of it, is dated October 19, 1752. M. de Romas made his first attempt on the 14th of May 1753, but was not fuccesful until the 7th of June; a year after Franklin had completed the difcovery, ard when it was known to all the philofophers in Europe. Befides thefe great principles, Frashlin's Letters on Electricity contain a number of facts and hints, which have contributed greatly to it could no longer be doubted, the vanity of men endeavoured to detract from its merit. That an American, an inhabitant of, the obfcure city of Philadelphia, the name of which was hardly known, fhould be able to make difcoveries, and to frame theories, which had escaped the notice of the enlightened philofophers of Europe, was too mortifying to be admitted. He muft certainly have taken the idea from fome one elfe. An American, a being of an inferior order, make difcoveries! Impofible. It was faid, that the abbe Noliet, in 1748, had fuggefted the idea of the imi. larity of lightning and electricity, in his Leçons de Phyfique. It is true, that the abbe mentions the idea, but he throws it out as a barewards reducing this branch of knowconjecture, and propofes no mede ledge to a fcience. His friend, Mr. of afcertaining the truth of it. He Kinnerley, communicated to him a himfelf acknowledges, that Frank- difcovery of the different kinds of lin first entertained the bold thought electricity excited by rubbing glafs of bringing lightning from the and phur. This, we have faid, heavens, by means of pointed rods was first cbferved by M. du Faye; fixed in the air. The fimilarity of but it was for many years neglected. electricity and lightning is to freng, The philofophers were difpofed to that we need not be furprifed at account for this phenomena, rather notice being taken of it, as foon as from a difference in the quantity of electrical phenomena became fami- electricity collected; and even du Har.. We and it mentioned by Dr. Fay himself feers at la to have Wall and M. Grey, while the adopted this doctrine. Franklin at fcience was in its infancy. Bo the firit entertained the fame idea; but honour of forming a regular theory upon repeating the experiments, he of thunder-guls, of foggetting a perceived that Mr. Kinnerfley was mode of determining the truth of it right; and that the vitreous and by experiments, and of putting the refinous electricity of Du Faye were experiments in practice, and thus nothing more than the pofitive and ebthing his theory upon a firm negative flates which he had before and folid bafis, is inconteftibly dae oblerved; that the glass globe to Franklin. D'Alibard, who made | charged pofitively, or increafed the the first experiments in France, fays, quantity of elétricity on the prime that he only followed the track conduétor, whil the globe of fulwhich Franklin had pointed out. phur diminished its natural quantity, or charged negatively. Thefe experiments and obfervations opened a new field for inveligation, upon which electricians entered with avidity; and their labours have added much to the stock of our knowledge. In September 1752, Franklin en It has been of late afferted, that the honour of completing the experiment with the electrical kite, does no belong to Franklin. Some late English paragraphs have attributed it to fome Frenchman, whofe name they do not mention; and the abbe tered The Genius and Character of the Japanese. 23 tered upon a courfe of experiments, was propofed about forty years ago, to determine the flate of electricity fhould in that time have been adoptin the clouds. From a number of ed in to many places, than that it experiments he formed his conclu-has rot univerfally prevailed. It is fon: “ that the cleds of a thunder-only by degrees that the great body gut are most commonly in a negative of mankind can be led into new ftate of electricity, but fometime, in practices, however falutary their 2 pofitive ftate ;" and from this it tendency. It is now nearly eighty follows, as a neceffary confequence, years fince inoculation was introduced "that, for the most part, in thunder- into Europe and America; and it ftrokes, it is the earth that trikes is fo far from being general at preinto the clouds, and not the clouds fent, that it will, perhaps, require that trike into the earth." The one or two centuries to render it 1o. letter containing thefe obfervations is dated in September 1753; and yet the difcovery of afcending thun der is faid to be of a ma dern date, and has been attributed to the abbe Bertholon, who published his memoir on the fubject in 1776. In the year 1745, Franklin publifhed an account of his new-invented Penfylvanian fire-places, in which he minutely and accurately ftates the advantages and difadvantages of different kinds of fire-places; and endeavours to how that the one Franklin's Letters have been tranf-which he deferibes, is to be prefer. lated into most of the European red to any other. This contrivance languages, and into Latin. In pro- has given rife to the open itoves now portion as they have become known, in general ufe, which however differ his principles have been adopted. from it in conftruction, particularly Some oppofition was made to his in not having an air-box at the back, theories, particularly by the abbe through which a conftant fupply of Nollet, who was, however, but air, warmed in its paffage, is thrown feebly fupported, whilst the Grit into the room. The advantages of philofophers of Europe ftepped forth this are, that as a fream of warm in defence of Franklin's principles; air is continually flowing into the among it whom d'Alibard and Becca- room, lefs fuel is neceffary to preria were the most diftinguished. The ferve a proper temperature, and the oppofition has gradually ceafed, and room may be fo tightened as that the Franklinian fyftem is now unino air may enter through cracks; verfally adopted, where fcience flou- the confequence of which are colds, rithes. tooth-aches, &c. The important practical ufe which Franklin made of his difcoveries, the fecuring of houfes from injury by lightning, has been already mentioned. Pointed conductors are now very common in America; but prejudice has hitherto prevented their general introduction into Europe, notwithflanding the molt undoubted proofs of their utility has been given. But mankind can with difficulty be brought to lay ande eftablahed practices, or to adopt new ones. And perhaps we have more reafon to be furprifed that a practice, however rational, which 24 The Genius and Character of the Japanese. are of the middling fize, and in general not very corpulent; yet I have feen fome that were fuficiently fat. They are of a yellowish colour all over, fometimes bordering on brown, and fometimes on white. The lower clafs of people, who, in fummer, when at work, lay bare the upper part of their bodies, are funburnt, and confequently brown. Ladies of diftinction, who feldom go out into the open air without being covered, are perfectly white. It is by their eyes, that, like the Chinefe, thefe people are diftinguishable. Thefe organs have not that rotundity which those of other nations exhibit, but are oblong, fmall, and are funk deeper in the head, in confequence of which thefe people have almoft the appearance of being pink-eyed. In other refpects their eyes are dark-brown, or rather black, and the eye-lids form in the great angle of the eye a deep furrow, which makes the Japanefe look as if they were fharpfighted, and difcriminates them from other nations. The eye-brows are alfo placed fomewhat higher. Their heads are in general large, and their necks fhort; their hair black, thick, and fhining, from the ufe they make of oils. Their nofes, although not flat, are yet rather thick and fhort. The Japanese are in general intelligent and provident, free and unconftrained, obedient and courteous, curious and inquifitive, induftrious and ingenious, frugal and fober, cleanly, good-natured, and friendly, upright and juft, trufty and honeft, mistrustful, fuperftitious, proud and haughty, unforgiving, brave, and invincible. most civilized. Their prefent mode of government, regulations for foreign commerce, their manufactures, the vast abundance, even to fuperfluity, of all the neceffaries of life, &c. give convincing proofs of their fagacity, fteadiness, and undaunted fpirit. That idle vanity fo common among other Afiatics, as well as many African nations, who adorn themfelves with fbells, beads, and glittering pieces of metal, is never to be obferved here; nor are these unneceffary European trappings of gold and filver lace, jewels, and the like, which ferve merely to catch the eye, here prized at all; but they endeavour to furnish themfelves from their own manufactures with decent cloathing, palatable food, and excellent weapons. Liberty is the foul of the Japanefe; not that which degenerates into licentioufnefs and riotous excefs, but a liberty under ftrict fubjections to the laws. It has been fuppofed, indeed, that the common people of Japan were merely flaves under a defpotic government, as the laws are extremely fevere. But a fervant who hires himself to a master for a yeur, is not therefore a slave; neither is a foldier who has inlisted for a certain number of years, and over whom a much stricter hand is kept, a flave, although he is obliged implicitly to obey his fuperior's commands. The Japanese hate and deteft the inhuman traffic in flaves carried on by the Dutch, and the cruelties with which thefe pcor creatures are treated. The rights and liberties of the higher and lower clafs of people The Japanese nation fhews fenfe are equally protected by the laws; and steadiness in all its undertakings, and the uncommon feverity of these fo far as the light of fcience, bylaws, joined to the inevitable execuwhofe brighter rays it has not as yet had the good fortune to be illumined, can ever guide it. This nation is fo far from deferving to be ranked with fuch as are called favage, that it rather merits a place among the tion of them, ferves to keep every one within proper bounds. With regard to foreigners, no nation in the whole extensive tract of the Indies is more vigilantly attentive to their liberties than this, and none more |