end Proceedings of the late President of the Royal Society. 171 



by Lemuel Gulliver, furnished an apt representation of the folly 

 and the rancour which found their way into this discussion. 



Ere long, the Royal Patron of the Society, whose strong feel- 

 ing in reference to the American war is well known, became in- 

 terested in the controversy, and often gave unequivocal indications 

 of the manner in which he was anxious to see it decided. This 

 soon reduced it to neither more nor less than a Government 

 question. In 1773, when it was proposed to fix conductors to 

 the powder magazine belonging to the Board of Ordnance at 

 Purfleet, that Board applied to ihe Royal Society for their opi- 

 nion as to the most proper kind to be employed. The Society 

 replied by quoting their own annual advertisement from the year 

 1762 downward, " That it is an establislied rule of the Society, 

 to which they will always adhere, 7iever to give their opinion, as 

 a body, on anv subject either of nature or art, that comes be- 

 fore them." The Society were then requested to appoint a Com- 

 mittee for this purpose. After much discussion this was agreed 

 to, and a Committee, consisting of Mr. Cavendish, Dr. Watson, 

 Dr. Franklin, Mr. Robertson, and Mr. Wilson, was appointed. 

 After examining the building, the four gentlemen first named, 

 recommended pointed conductors: Mr. Wilson dissented from 

 their judgement, and assigned his reasons in a long paper. His 

 notions were refuted by Nairne, Henley, Swift, and others. 

 Dr. Musgrave, on the other hand, defended his speculations. 



In 1777 the Purfleet magazine received damage from lightning, 

 although it had been previously furnished with conductors. The 

 Roval Society, again requested to give an opinion, appointed a 

 Committee of nine of the most distinguished electricians : their 

 deliberate judgement was again in favour of pointed conductors, 

 and again was their judgement opposed by Mr. Wilson. In this 

 stage of the business the Royal Patron of the Society directed 

 Sir John Pringle to employ his official influence in strengthening 

 Mr. Wilson's hands. Sir John replied, that " duty as well as 

 inclination would always induce him to execute His Majesty's 

 wishes to the utmost of his power: but, Sire, (said he) .1 cannot 

 reverse the laws and operations ofndtnre." " Then," said His 

 Majesty, *' perhaps, Sir. John, you had better resign* P" Sir John 

 took the hint, and resigned at the next anniversary. Sir Joseph 



• Soon after this occiirroncc a friend of Franklin wrote an epigram 

 which may not be deemed unworthy of preservation lierc : 



Wliile you, ju;reat (leorgc, for knowledge liunt, 

 Anil sharp conductors change for blunt. 



The nation '» out of joint : 

 Franklin a wiser course piM-surj, 

 And nil your thunder useless vie\r» 



By keeping to tht point. 



Y i ■ Kanks 



