Sect. I.] Electricity. 57 



and, perhaps, tlie only one, in the science nmler 

 consideration, which was the result of preconceived 

 opinion, and of experiments instituted witli an ex- 

 press view to ascertain the trutli. Dr. Frankhn's 

 ideas were soon afterwards conhrmed by Messrs. 

 Dahbard and Dclor, of France ; who had come to 

 a similar conclusion before they were informed of 

 what had been done on the other side of the Atlantic. 

 The same illustrious Amei'ican also first discovered, 

 in conjunction with his friend Mr. Thomas Hop- 

 kinson, the peculiar power of pointed bodies to 

 draw olf the electrical matter more effectual ly, and 

 at a greater distance, than others; founded on 

 w^hich was his ingenious invention for defending 

 houses from the destiuctive effects of lightning, 

 by the use of metallic conductors. About the same 

 time, Dr. Franklin's friend, Mr. Kinnersly, distin- 

 guished himself by rediscovering the apparently 

 contrary electricities of glass and resin, or sulphur, 

 which M. du Fay had long before observed, but with 

 the discovery of which he and Dr. Franklin were 

 both unacquainted *. To solve the difficidty arising 

 from this fact, the doctor, instead of recurring to 

 the supposition of two d liferent kinds of electric 

 matter, as the French philosopher had -done, pro- 

 posed his celebrated theory of positive and negative 

 electricity, or the pins and minus states of bodies 

 charged with this fluid ; a theory which had been 

 before suggested by Dr. Watson, and which was 



pf almost all cultivated languages, is well known to tlie public ; 

 and with wliOhC friendship I consider it one of ihe most happy cir- 

 cumstances of my life to be honoured. 



• * See Experiments and Observations on Electn'citi/, &c., b)' Ben- 

 jamin Ffaiikhn, LL.D. F.R.S. London, 4Lo. l/oy. 



