the autobiography of ben franklin(本富兰克林自传)-第37章
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the great obstacle to the king's service； preventing； by my influence in the
House； the proper form of the bills for raising money； and he instanced
this parade with my officers as a proof of my having an intention to take
the government of the province out of his hands by force。 He also applied
to Sir Everard Fawkener； the postmaster…general； to deprive me of my
office； but it had no other effect than to procure from Sir Everard a gentle
admonition。
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Notwithstanding the continual wrangle between the governor and the
House； in which I； as a member； had so large a share； there still subsisted a
civil intercourse between that gentleman and myself； and we never had
any personal difference。 I have sometimes since thought that his little or
no resentment against me； for the answers it was known I drew up to his
messages； might be the effect of professional habit； and that； being bred a
lawyer； he might consider us both as merely advocates for contending
clients in a suit； he for the proprietaries and I for the Assembly。 He would；
therefore； sometimes call in a friendly way to advise with me on difficult
points； and sometimes； tho' not often； take my advice。
We acted in concert to supply Braddock's army with provisions； and；
when the shocking news arrived of his defeat； the governor sent in haste
for me； to consult with him on measures for preventing the desertion of the
back counties。 I forget now the advice I gave； but I think it was； that
Dunbar should be written to； and prevail'd with； if possible； to post his
troops on the frontiers for their protection； till； by re…enforcements from
the colonies； he might be able to proceed on the expedition。 And； after my
return from the frontier； he would have had me undertake the conduct of
such an expedition with provincial troops； for the reduction of Fort
Duquesne； Dunbar and his men being otherwise employed； and he
proposed to commission me as general。 I had not so good an opinion of
my military abilities as he profess'd to have； and I believe his professions
must have exceeded his real sentiments； but probably he might think that
my popularity would facilitate the raising of the men； and my influence in
Assembly； the grant of money to pay them； and that； perhaps； without
taxing the proprietary estate。 Finding me not so forward to engage as he
expected； the project was dropt； and he soon after left the government；
being superseded by Captain Denny。
Before I proceed in relating the part I had in public affairs under this
new governor's administration； it may not be amiss here to give some
account of the rise and progress of my philosophical reputation。
In 1746； being at Boston； I met there with a Dr。 Spence； who was
lately arrived from Scotland； and show'd me some electric experiments。
They were imperfectly perform'd； as he was not very expert； but； being on
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a subject quite new to me； they equally surpris'd and pleased me。 Soon
after my return to Philadelphia； our library company receiv'd from Mr。 P。
Collinson； Fellow of the Royal Society of London； a present of a glass
tube； with some account of the use of it in making such experiments。 I
eagerly seized the opportunity of repeating what I had seen at Boston； and；
by much practice； acquir'd great readiness in performing those； also； which
we had an account of from England； adding a number of new ones。 I say
much practice； for my house was continually full； for some time； with
people who came to see these new wonders。
To divide a little this incumbrance among my friends； I caused a
number of similar tubes to be blown at our glass…house； with which they
furnish'd themselves； so that we had at length several performers。 Among
these； the principal was Mr。 Kinnersley； an ingenious neighbor； who； being
out of business； I encouraged to undertake showing the experiments for
money； and drew up for him two lectures； in which the experiments were
rang'd in such order； and accompanied with such explanations in such
method； as that the foregoing should assist in comprehending the
following。 He procur'd an elegant apparatus for the purpose； in which all
the little machines that I had roughly made for myself were nicely form'd
by instrument…makers。 His lectures were well attended； and gave great
satisfaction； and after some time he went thro' the colonies； exhibiting
them in every capital town； and pick'd up some money。 In the West India
islands； indeed； it was with difficulty the experiments could be made； from
the general moisture of the air。
Oblig'd as we were to Mr。 Collinson for his present of the tube； etc。； I
thought it right he should be inform'd of our success in using it； and wrote
him several letters containing accounts of our experiments。 He got them
read in the Royal Society； where they were not at first thought worth so
much notice as to be printed in their Transactions。 One paper； which I
wrote for Mr。 Kinnersley； on the sameness of lightning with electricity； I
sent to Dr。 Mitchel； an acquaintance of mine； and one of the members also
of that society； who wrote me word that it had been read； but was laughed
at by the connoisseurs。 The papers； however； being shown to Dr。 Fothergill；
he thought them of too much value to be stifled； and advis'd the printing of
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them。 Mr。 Collinson then gave them to Cave for publication in his
Gentleman's Magazine； but he chose to print them separately in a
pamphlet； and Dr。 Fothergill wrote the preface。 Cave； it seems； judged
rightly for his profit； for by the additions that arrived afterward they
swell'd to a quarto volume； which has had five editions； and cost him
nothing for copy…money。
It was； however； some time before those papers were much taken
notice of in England。 A copy of them happening to fall into the hands of
the Count de Buffon； a philosopher deservedly of great reputation in
France； and； indeed； all over Europe； he prevailed with M。 Dalibard to
translate them into French； and they were printed at Paris。 The publication
offended the Abbe Nollet； preceptor in Natural Philosophy to the royal
family； and an able experimenter； who had form'd and publish'd a theory
of electricity； which then had the general vogue。 He could not at first
believe that such a work came from America； and said it must have been
fabricated by his enemies at Paris； to decry his system。 Afterwards； having
been assur'd that there really existed such a person as Franklin at
Philadelphia； which he had doubted； he wrote and published a volume of
Letters； chiefly address'd to me； defending his theory； and denying the
verity of my experiments； and of the positions deduc'd from them。
I once purpos'd answering the abbe； and actually began the answer； but；
on consideration that my writings contain'd a description of experiments
which any one might repeat and verify； and if not to be verifi'd； could not
be defended； or of observations offer'd as conjectures； and not delivered
dogmatically； therefore not laying me under any obligation to defend them；
and reflecting that a dispute between two persons； writing in different
languages； might be lengthened greatly by mistranslations； and thence
misconceptions of one another's meaning； much of one of the abbe's letters
being founded on an error in the translation； I concluded to let my papers
shift for themselves； believing it was better to spend what time I could
spare from public business in making new experiments； than in disputing
about those already made。 I therefore never answered M。 Nollet； and the
event gave me no cause to repent my silence； for my friend M。 le Roy； of
the Royal Academy of Sciences； took up my cause and refuted him； my
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book was translated into the Italian； German； and Latin languages； and the
doctrine it contain'd was by degrees universally adopted by the
philosophers of Europe； in preference to that of the abbe； so that he lived
to see himself the last of his sect； except Monsieur B； of Paris； his
eleve and immediate disciple。
What gave my book the more sudden and general celebrity； was the
success of one of its proposed experiments； made by Messrs。 Dalibard and
De Lor at Marly； for drawing lightning from the clouds。 This engag'd the
public attention every where。 M。 de Lor； who had an apparatus for
experimental philosophy； and lectur'd in that branch of science； undertook
to repeat what he called the Philadelphia Experiments； and； after they were
performed before the king and court； all the curious of Paris flocked to see
them。 I will not swell this narrative with an account of that capital
experiment； nor of the infinite pleasure I receiv'd in the success of a
similar one I made soon after with a kite at Philadelphia； as both are to be
found in the histories of electricity。
Dr。 Wright； an English physician； when at Paris； wrote to a friend； who
was of the Royal Society； an account of the high esteem my experiments
were in among the learned abroad； and of their wonder that my writings
had been so little noticed in England。 The society； on this； resum'd the
consideration of the letters that had been read to them； and the celebrated
Dr。 Watson drew up a summary account of
