522 ELECTRICITY. 



' Dr Franklin was so impressed with the many points 

 of resemblance between lightning and electricity, that 

 he was convinced of their identity, and determined to 

 ascertain by direct experiment the truth of his bold con- 

 jecture. A spire which was erecting in Philadelphia he 

 conceived might assist him in this inquiry ; but, while 

 waiting for its completion, the sight of a boy's kite, which 

 had been raised for amusement, immediately suggested 

 to him a more ready method of attaining his object. 

 Having constructed a kite by stretching a large silk hand- 

 kerchief over two sticks in the form of a cross, on the 

 first appearance of an approaching storm, in June, 1752, 

 he went out into a field, accompanied by his son, to 

 whom alone he had imparted his design. Having raised 

 his kite, and attached a key to the lower end of the 

 hempen string, he insulated it byfastening it to a post, by 

 means of asifk. string, and waited with intense interest for 

 the result. A considerable time elapsed without the ap- 

 paratus giving any sign of electricity, even although a 

 dense cloud, apparently charged with lightning, had pass- 

 ed over the spot on which they stood. Franklin was 

 just beginning to despair of success, when his atten- 

 tion was caught by the bristling up of some of the loose 

 fibres on the hempen cord; he immediately presented his 

 knuckle to the key, and received an electric spark. 

 Overcome with the emotion inspired by this decisive 

 evidence of the great discovery he had achieved, he 

 heaved a deep sigh, and conscious of an immortal name, 

 felt he could have been content if that moment had 

 been his list. The rain now fell in torrents, and wet- 

 ting the string, rendered it conducting in its whole 

 length ; so that electric sparks were now collected from 

 it in great abundance. 



* It should be noticed, however, that about a month 

 before Franklin made these successful trials, some phi- 

 losophers had obtained similar results in France, by fol- 

 lowing the plan recommended by Franklin. But the 

 glory of the discovery is universally given to Franklin, 

 as it was from his suggestions that the methods of ob- 

 taining it were originally derived. 



' This important discovery was prosecuted with great 



