the autobiography of ben franklin(本富兰克林自传)-第51章
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by much practice； acquir'd great readiness in performing those； also； which
we had an account of from England； adding a number of new ones。 I say
much practice； for my house was continually full； for some time； with
people who came to see these new wonders。
To divide a little this incumbrance among my friends； I caused a
number of similar tubes to be blown at our glass…house； with which they
furnish'd themselves； so that we had at length several performers。 Among
these； the principal was Mr。 Kinnersley； an ingenious neighbor； who； being
out of business； I encouraged to undertake showing the experiments for
money； and drew up for him two lectures； in which the experiments were
rang'd in such order； and accompanied with such explanations in such
method； as that the foregoing should assist in comprehending the
following。 He procur'd an elegant apparatus for the purpose； in which all
the little machines that I had roughly made for myself were nicely form'd
by instrument…makers。 His lectures were well attended； and gave great
satisfaction； and after some time he went thro' the colonies； exhibiting
them in every capital town； and pick'd up some money。 In the West India
islands； indeed； it was with difficulty the experiments could be made； from
the general moisture of the air。
Oblig'd as we were to Mr。 Collinson for his present of the tube； etc。； I
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
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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 Abbe 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 abbe； 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 abbe'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
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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 abbe； so that he lived
to see himself the last of his sect； except Monsieur B； of Paris； his
eleve 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 be 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 honor； 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 s
