!^4 Mcciiankal Philosophy. 



m certain cases, it expedited the progress of vege 

 tat ion. In these experiments he was followed by 

 the Abbe Nollet, M. Jallabert, of Geneva, 

 Mr. BozE, before mentioned, and a number of 

 Others on the continent of Europe, who all drew 

 the same conclusions. 



In the midst of the general attention, and the 

 deep interest which this subject now began to ex- 

 cite, throughout the philosophic world, Dr. Frank- 

 lin, in 1752, after having been for some time en- 

 gaged in making new and interesting experiments, 

 discovered the icknfltij of the electricjiuid and light- 

 7ntigr a discovery of the greatest practical utility; 

 and, perhaps, the only one in the science under 

 consideration, which was the result of preconceived 

 opinion, and of experiments instituted with an ex- 

 press view to ascertain the truth. Dr. Franklin*s 

 ideas were soon afterwards confirmed by Messrs. 

 Dalibard and Delor, of France; who had come 

 to a similar conclusion before they were informed 

 of what had been done on this side the Atlantic. 

 The same illustrious American also first discovered, 

 in conjunction with his friend Mr. Thomas Hop- 

 KiNSON, the peculiar power of pointed bodies, to 

 draw off the electrical matter, more effi."ctually, and 

 at a greater distance than others; founded on 

 which, was his ingenious invention for defending 



g There are persons who believe, but probably without sufficient foun- 

 dation, that this fact, and several others, relating to electricity, generally 

 supposed to be modern discoveries, were known to the ancients. Those 

 who wish to see this opinion ingeniously and learnedly defended, will be 

 gratified by a perusal of M. Duten's work, before quoted;, and also, an 

 interesting paper in the Memoirs of the Literary and Philosophical Society of 

 Manchester, vol. iii. by V/lLLlAM FALCONER, M.D. F. R. S. To which 

 jnay be added a curious passage in Signor Boccalini's Advertisements from 

 -Parnassus (Cefitury I. Chap. 46.) published more than one hundred years 

 before the date of Franklin's discovery. For a reference to this passage, I 

 am indebted to the Rev. Dr. Nisbet, President of Dickinson College, 

 Pennsylvania; a gentleman, whose profound erudition, embracing the lite- 

 xature and science of almost all cultivated languages, is well known to 

 the public; and with whose friendship I consider it one of the most happy 

 circumstances of mv life to be honoured. 



