Researches in Electricity 115 



considered the possibility of an experimental verification 

 of their suggestion. 



Franklin, however, was prompt to propose a method 

 of testing the matter and his plan of erecting an iron 

 rod in the open air was successful at Marly in France, 

 and the result confirmed at Paris and in England long 

 before his own famous experiment with the kite had 

 been attempted. Subsequently he made many determi- 

 nations of the sign of the discharge from the clouds 

 which he found to be commonly but not universally 

 negative. 



The subject of atmospheric electricity appealed to him 

 strongly and from two very different points of view. 



Being a man of science and given to speculation he 

 developed a theory of the electrification of clouds and of 

 the phenomena of thunder storms; being a practical 

 man he invented the lightning rod. This device was 

 intended to afford a double protection, dissipating the 

 atmospheric charge by the action of points and conduct- 

 ing the current of discharge harmlessly to earth. What- 

 ever we may now think of the adequacy of the means 

 employed, the usefulness of the lightning rod in one 

 respect is undisputed. It gave a sense of security and 

 peace of mind to those who availed themselves of it, and 

 thus robbed the thunder storm of its terrors to the timid 

 if not of its actual dangers. Who does this, if nothing 



