I/Ql] ^^?' WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 337 



before." From the beginning to the end of his life, he observed the 

 same modest and cautious method of communication. The first philo- 

 sophical paper inserted in his collection, in 1756, is entitled "Physical 

 and Meteorological Observations, Conjectures and Suppositions;" and 

 his last at Passy, in 1784, are of a similar title, viz. : " Meteorological 

 Imaginations and Conjectures. Loose Thoughts on an Universal 

 Fluid," and the like. 



But I return to the account of his electrical labors, and the materials 

 on which they were grounded. Von Kliest, about the latter end of the 

 year 1745, had accidentally discovered some of the powers and proper- 

 ties of what is called the Leyden-phial, and sent an account of the 

 same to Lieberkhioi at Berlin, which soon made this branch of science 

 more interesting. As soon as the account of this discovery reached 

 America (together with Mr. CoUinson's tube), it excited no less 

 curiosity here, than it had done in Europe; and Dr. Franklin writes to 

 his friend CoUinson in September, 1747, "that no less than one hun- 

 dred large glass tubes had been sold in Philadelphia, in the space of 

 four months preceding." But although Von Kliest had discovered 

 some properties of this phial, and Muschenbroek, to his cost, had ex- 

 perienced others (by which the phial, or bottle received his name) it 

 remained for Dr. Franklin to discover its true principles, and how, by 

 means of it, to accumulate, retain, and discharge any quantity of the 

 electric fluid, with safety. The account of this discovery and of the 

 experiments on which it was founded, he communicated to Mr. CoUin- 

 son, in his letter of September i, 1747, with his usual caution and 

 modesty, in the following terms : 



The necessary trouble of copying long letters, which, perhaps, when they come to 

 your hands may contain nothing new, or worth your reading (so quick is the progress 

 made with you in electricity) half discourages me from writing more on that subject. 

 Yet I cannot forbear adding a few observations on M. Muschenbroek's wonderful 

 bottle. 



In this letter, he discloses the whole magical powers of this bottle ; 

 by proving that it would receive an accumulation of the electric fluid 

 on the inside, only as it discharged an equal quantity from the outside. 

 This discovery gave him the greatest advantages over all the electricians 

 of Europe. It put into his hands (as it were) the key which opened 

 . into all the secrets of electricity, and enabled him to make his succeed- 

 ing experiments, with a sure aim, while his brethren in Europe were 

 groping in the dark, and some of them falling martyrs to their experi- 

 ments. 



He was the first who fired gun-powder, gave magnetism to needles of 

 steel, melted metals, and killed animals of considerable size, by means 

 of electricity. He was the first who informed electricians, and the 

 world in general, of the power of metalline-points, in conducting the 

 electric fluid; acknowledging at the same time, with a candor worthy 

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