Page:Works of the Late Doctor Benjamin Franklin (1793).djvu/115

105 towards an erect poſition. He now preſented his knuckle to the key, and received a ſtrong ſpark. How exquiſite muſt his ſenſations have been at this moment! On this experiment depended the fate of his theory. If he ſucceeded, his name would rank high amongſt thoſe who have improved ſcience; if he failed, he muſt inevitably be ſubjected to the deriſion of mankind, or, what is worſe, their pity, as a well-meaning man, but a weak, ſilly projector. The anxiety with which he looked for the reſult of his experiment, may eaſily be conceived. Doubts and deſpair had begun to prevail, when the fact was aſcertained in ſo clear a manner, that even the moſt incredulous could no longer withhold their aſſent. Repeated ſparks were drawn from the key, a phial was charged, a ſhock given, and all the experiments made, which are uſually performed with electricity. About a month before this period, ſome ingenious Frenchmen had completed the diſcovery, in the manner originally propoſed by Dr. Franklin. The letters which he ſent to Mr. Collinſon, it is ſaid, were refuſed a place amongſt the papers of the Royal Society of London. However this may be, Collinſon publiſhed them in a ſeparate volume, under the title of New Experiments and Obſervations on Electricity, made at Philadelphia in America. They were read with avidity, and ſoon tranſlated into different languages. A very incorrect French tranſlation fell into the hands of the celebrated Buffon, who, notwithſtanding the diſadvantages under which the work laboured, was much pleaſed with it, and repeated the experiments with ſucceſs. He prevailed upon his friend, M. D'Alibard, to give to his countrymen a more correct tranſlation of the work of the American electrician. This contributed much