New-York tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1841-1842, 1841-12-23
Dr. LardHer'S Second Lecture.
Second Series.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Truth, whether con-
,emplated in it. own pure essence and for rs own
sake or for the attainment of convenience and ut-
ity in the economy of life is always object Of re-
spcct and admiration But it Is entitled 20 our
hghes; reverence when viewed by itself and sepa-
rated from all considerations of utility. From the
moment FRASKLrS first engaged in electrical in
quires, notwithstanding the respect for truth and
enthusiasm in its discovery which shine through his
eand writings, his views were constantly directed
e the discovery Of some Useful purpose which bis
discoveries might be applied In one of his letters
to CoLLrSsoS, which is quoted in the Boston edi-
ton OF hi. works, with whose Editor. Mr.. JARED
SPARKS, am proud to have formed recent ac
quantancc, he expresses in playful mood his ex-
tremc chagrin that thus far the great principles he
had discovered applied to no Immediately
s,eiul purpose. Oac passage of this kind viii
read TO you in which he describes a projected
party of pleasure to the basks of the Schuylkil
the no, season approached, when electrical expert
ments we're extremely unpleasant - Spirits, says
he. are 10 be fired by -park sent from one side
OF the river to the ether through Ike water;
shall eat upon electrical plates, turkey killed
by an electric shock and roasted by the electrical
Jack by fire kindlei by tn electric spark
and we shall drink the health- Of all the elec'ri
cans OF Europe in electrified wine from elcclri-
fed glasses under the discharge of ours from the
electrical battery" Sue. was the character of
the man and of hi+ mind always bent upon max
ing his singular discoveries useful TO his fellow
men aud he never could be quiet-he never could
be perfectly happy until he had made these pheno-
ueaa contribute to the comfort or the pleasure OF
those around him.
In the latter part OF I749, after bestowing much
care upon the analoges on which his opinions were
founded, he addressed eiterto Collinsen in which
he Northumberland not merely conectured, "a,
ha, been asserled-,hat lightning aud electricity
AID the same. In proving this, for an
original, uneducated man-one whose mind had
not been taught in the logic Of the schools which
renders the reasoning powers so acute, he proceed
ed with astonishing logical rigor. He said that
the only way in which two physical powers admit
of comparison is by their effects. Now lightning
and electricity agree in nearly all their general re-
lations electricity when it passes through the body
of animal in sufficient quantity, destroys its life
or renders it blind so does lightning electricity
fuses metals, 50 does lightning; it reverses the po-
lariiy Of the needle and so does lightning it fire.
combustiolc materials and 50 does lightning cleo
trcity, III fine, passes off by preference upon points
of metal, while lightning known usually to
strike mountains, and high trees spires In
short he went through whole catalogue OF ten or
twelve remarkable properties and showed that
electricity and lightning identical in them all
He said that doubt remained that the principles
the same and, being so he saw reason
why might not learn deal with this fiery me
tcor from the manner in which we manage electri-
city. This assertion he threw out in = letter 10
Colinson, but he did stop here, and the man |
ner in which he proceeded To carry out the vaross
modes of rendering the electric properties useful |
are exceedingly interesting and instructive.
1t was before known that electricity was attrac-
ted BY points, as the discovery had been made by |
Franklin. Now said Franklin If the cloud which
is charged wiki lightning be considered as charged
with electricity, reason why we ma, not |
erect pointed body to draw the fluid from |
the cloud. This he proceeded to establish by d.
rect experiment, not with real, but iactitous.
cloud He took a pair of metal scale and sus- |
pended them by silk cords. Now then said he
If the scales be electrified the fluid cannot escape
and they may represent cloud charged with light
ming. He then laid upon the table metal punch |
which was to represent the buding-paced in
such positi that the scales might pass directly
above it. Now, said he, the same phenomena |
should be exhibited in the OF electric |
cloud. He passed the scales over the punch and |
as it passed it slightly descended until within |
striking distance when spark passed between
them, and the scales rose and passed He,e he
had an image sf an electric cloud passing over
building and dischargins It's lightning. Franklin
then varied his experiment so as TO illustrate the
manner in which he proposed 10 render his discov-
cries serviceable 10 man. He took pointed nee
die instead of the blunt punch he had before used,
and placed so tina, the scale might pass its
point. This done the scale passed above
H. when tie scale instead Of d.charging ii, electri
city, passed on it. way, the fluid being stolen of by
the pointed needle Thss, said the philosopher,
why may we net place metallic points upon the
tops of buildings and SC he went on 10 his great
discoveries in the manner SO familiar TO you all,
and which therefore it is needless 10 repeat. lie
described an ordinary lightning rod and went so
far 10 say that their points should De g,li 10
prevent their oxdation-a remark which would De
natural enough in nan Of science, but which at
tina, time and from such mar, evnced a most
wonderful sagaciiY.
This occurred in 1850 and Franklin Immediate
issued letter which circulated IN England.
France and all over Europe, in which ne deserted
the method Of drawing electricity from the clouds
He directed that sentry box be placed upon
high elevation and thai from this poisted rod
should ascend into the air. Thi. point would at
tract the fluid and person in the sentry-box could
easily perceive its presence by the usual tests, or
charge phial and produce shSck. These we're