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French King Witnesses Electricity Experiment Conducted by His Physician Based on Ben Franklin's Work

"by pointed bars tempestuous clouds may be cleared of their fire.”

French Scientist Unbeliever Now Convinced by Franklin's Hypothesis; British Royal Society Convinced by Franklin's Proof

Collinson Notes Lighting Hitting French Church Cross Consistent with Franklin Hypothesis

The highlight of this June 1752 issue of Gentleman's Magazine are three letters/articles on Ben Franklin’s lightning rod hypothesis and it confirmation by French experiments; 1) Peter Collinson, Ben Franklin's regular correspondent and Fellow of the Royal Society comments upon cross on top of French cathedral, hit by lightning and the natives observations about safety from lighting  2)  a Letter from a Gentleman in Paris conceding he was wrong about Franklin’s conclusions and 3) a report of electrical experiment performed by the King’s physician for French King which states that,

“the effect was in every respect conformable to Mr. Franklin’s account.  That of the greatest importance is a method of preventing the mischief of lightning, by fixing bars of iron ten or twelve feet long, sharply pointed, and gilt to avoid rust, in a perpendicular position, on the tops of houses or ships, and lowering a brass wire from the bottom of the bard to the ground, or to the ship’s shrouds” 

The article also notes that accounts of these French experiments were read to the British Royal Society and that they “both prove, that by pointed bars tempestuous clouds may be cleared of their fire.”  The interest of the French King in Franklin's work and the French experiments cemented Ben Franklin's international reputation and make him the perfect choice by the Continental Congress many years later to be the American envoy to seek French assistance during the Revolutionary War. (See excerpts below)

Other articles in this issue include, “Argument for inoculation for Small Pox Fallacious”;  the History of the Incas of Peru; extract of a Treatise on the Nightingale with engraving of a Nightingale and traps and cages for capturing and keeping Nightingales ; a letter from Virginia on a negro wench who had negro and mulatto children; an article on the Aurora Borealis; and an article on securing American colonies from French incursions. Below are pictures of portions of the electricity articles, the index to the issue and a Nightingale.

 

Below is the index showing the other articles in this issue.  The only engravings are of the Nightingale shown below and cages and devices for catching Nightingales. The issue is textually complete and in fine condition.

Price: $150

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