mistakes, when they were
corrected by subsequent experiments.

"Though the English have not been backward in acknowledging the great
merit of this philosopher, he has had the singular good-fortune to be,
perhaps, even more celebrated abroad than at home; so that, to form a
just idea of the great and deserved reputation of Dr. Franklin, we must
read the foreign publications on the subject of electricity, in many of
which the terms Franklinism,' 'Franklinist,' and the 'Franklinian
System' occur in almost every page. In consequence of this, Dr.
Franklin's principles bid fair to be handed down to posterity as equally
expressive of the true principles of electricity, as the Newtonian
philosophy is of the system of nature in general."

The observations and theories of Franklin met with high favor in France,
where his experiments were repeated and the results verified to the
admiration of the scientific world. In the year 1753 his friend Peter
Collinson wrote to him from London: "The King of France strictly
commands the Abbe Mazeas to write a letter in the politest terms to the
Royal Society, to return the King's thanks and compliments, in an
express manner, to Mr. Franklin, of Pennsylvania, for his useful
discoveries in electricity, and the application of pointed rods to
prevent the terrible effect of thunder-storms." And the same Mr.
Collinson wrote as follows to the Reverend Jared Eliot, of Connecticut,
in a letter dated London, November 22, 1753: "Our friend Franklin will
be honored on St. Andrew's Day, the 30th instant, the anniversary of the
Royal Society, when the Right Honorable the Earl of Macclesfield will
make an oration on Mr. Franklin's new discoveries in electricity, and,
as a reward and encouragement, will bestow on him a gold medal." This
ceremony accordingly took place, and the medal was conferred.

"PHILADELPHIA, 28 Mch., 1747.
"_To Peter Collinson_:

"SIR--Your kind present of an electric tube, with directions for
using it, has put several of us on making electrical experiments, in
which we have observed some particular phenomena that we look upon
to be new. I shall therefore communicate them to you in my next,
though possibly they may not be new to you, as among the numbers
daily employed in those experiments on your side of the water, it is
probable some one or other has hit upon the same observations. For
my own part, I never was before engaged in any study that