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He also suggested an experiment that would prove that lightning was a form of electricity; and to show that lightning was attracted by points he proposed that a man should stand on a tall steeple, or tower, with a pointed rod and draw electricity from the thunder clouds. HE ALSO SUGGESTED AN EXPERIMENT THAT WOULD PROVE THAT LIGHTNING WAS A FORM OF ELECTRICITY AND TO SHOW THAT LIGHTNING WAS ATTRACTED BY POINTS HE PROPOSED THAT A MAN SHOULD STAND ON A TALL STEEPLE OR TOWER WITH A POINTED ROD AND DRAW THE ELECTRICITY FROM THE THUNDER CLOUDS
accounts of this experiment. It was not until 1746, or 1747, after Franklin had been making original researches in science for about five years, that he took up the subject of electricity. Franklin was then forty-one years old. The subject was literally “in the air.” Peter Collinson, of London, had presented to the Philadelphia Library one of the new glass tubes that was rubbed with silk or skin to produce electricity. Franklin began at once to experiment with this tube, and people came in crowds to see his performances. Thomas Hopkinson and Philip Syng, who experimented with him, discovered electrical fire, and invented an electrical machine for producing the electrical spark. Franklin discovered what is now known as “positive” and “negative” electricity. He also attempted to explain, in his letters to Collinson, thunder and lightning as phenomena of electricity; and, in 1759, sent him a paper announcing his invention of the lightning-rod, and an explanation of its purpose and action. E EXPERIMENT IT WAS NOT UNTIL SEVENTEEN FORTY SIX OR SEVENTEEN FORTY SEVEN AFTER FRANKLIN HAD BEEN MAKING ORIGINAL RESEARCHES IN SCIENCE FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS THAT HE TOOK UP THE SUBJECT OF ELECTRICITY FRANKLIN WAS THEN FORTY ONE YEARS OLD THE SUBJECT WAS LITERALLY IN THE AIR PETER COLLINSON OF LONDON HAD PRESENTED TO THE PHILADELPHIA LIBRARY ONE OF THE NEW GLASS TUBES THAT WAS RUBBED WITH SILK OR SKIN TO PRODUCE ELECTRICITY FRANKLIN BEGAN AT ONCE TO EXPERIMENT WITH THIS TUBE AND PEOPLE CAME IN CROWDS TO SEE HIS PERFORMANCES THOMAS HOPKINSON AND PHILIP SINGH WHO EXPERIMENTED WITH HIM DISCOVERED ELECTRICAL FIRE AND INVENTED AN ELECTRICAL MACHINE FOR PRODUCING THE ELECTRICAL SPARK FRANKLIN DISCOVERED WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ELECTRICITY HE ALSO ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN IN HIS LETTERS TO COLLINSON THUNDER AND LIGHTNING AS PHENOMENA OF ELECTRICITY AND IN SEVENTEEN FIFTY NINE SENT HIM A PAPER ANNOUNCING HIS INVENTION OF THE LIGHTNING ROD AN EXPLANATION OF ITS PURPOSE AND ACTION
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