xin THE ROYAL SOCIETY AND FRANKLIN 179 



and on the motion of Watson, in whose generous nature 

 there was ^no room for jealousy, Franklin's name was 

 inserted on the list without fee or payment. Collinson 

 wrote to Franklin to convey the news, and the latter 

 replied on September 23, much surprised and pleased 

 at receiving an honour he had never asked or expected. 

 Yet Franklin's work in electricity, marking an epoch in 

 that science, was only the by-play of a busy man of 

 affairs, whose chief tasks lay in another arena. 1 



In person Collinson was rather short and stout, plain 

 in his dress, kind and liberal in his manner, and his con- 

 versation ready, pleasing and well-informed. He was 

 an early riser, and spent many hours in his garden. By 

 a due economy of his time he was able to carry on a large 

 business and an extensive correspondence with all parts 

 of the globe without ever appearing to be in a hurry. 

 He was pleased with his honours, scientific and social 

 perhaps a little proud of them. His years of old age 

 for he reached his seventy-fifth year, dying in 1768 

 were passed in much contentment at Mill Hill, though 

 his outward means were reduced. " I am here retired 

 all alone," he writes to Bartram, " the old Christmas log 

 is burning, and the fire of friendship is blazing. Franklin 

 has been staying here with me Dr. Solander brought 

 him " : " my garden is now a paradise of delight " : 

 again, " I survey my garden with raptures, to see the 

 infinite variety with which the Creator has enriched the 

 vegetable world." 



Fothergill wrote an account of Collinson (aided by 

 the latter's son), which was printed without the author's 



1 Experiments and Observations on Electricity made at Philadelphia in 

 America, by Mr. Benjamin Franklin, and communicated in several Letters 

 to Mr. P. Collinson, of London, F.R.S., London, 1751 (price as. 6d.). Lettsom's 

 copy is in the Brit. Mus. Lib. See also Lettsom, Mem. Collinson, p. 266 ; 

 Franklin, Autobiography, in his Works, ed. Bigelow, i. 277 ; Letter, P. Collinson 

 to B. Franklin, 1756 (?i75i), in American Philos. Soc., Franklin Centennial 

 Celebration, Calendar, Ixix. 64 ; Letters from Franklin in A. H. Church's 

 Letters and Papers, Royal Society, 1908 ; Phil. Trans, xlv. 98, xlvii. 202, 

 289, 565 ; Weld, Hist. Roy. Soc. ii. 7 and note ; Lists and MS. records, Roy. 

 Soc. Dr. Franklin was elected to the Council of the society in 1760-61, 

 1767-68, and 1773. His portrait by Joseph Wright hangs in the society's 

 house, and is reproduced in this volume. 



