The Works of Benjamin Franklin: Containing Several Political and Historical Tracts Not Included in Any Former Edition, and Many Letters, Official and Private Not Hitherto Published; with Notes and a Life of the Author, Volume 5Childs & Peterson, 1840 |
Contents
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Common terms and phrases
Abbé Abbé Nollet America appear attracted BENJAMIN FRANKLIN body bottle bottom Britain charged clouds coating colonies common matter communication conduct Congress contained cork ball cushion discharged draw earth effect elec electric fluid electric matter electrical atmosphere electrical experiments electrical fire electrified electrized phial equal equilibrium fait finger floor force Franklin give glass globe gold greater hand hook ignis iron j'ai JAMES BOWDOIN jars Kinnersley letter lightning Lord Lord Chatham Lord Hyde Lordship melted ment metal motion natural quantity needle negative non-electric observed opinion paper Parliament passing person PETER COLLINSON Philadelphia piece plate pointed rods positively power of points present prime conductor quantity of electricity received repelled repulsion restored round Royal Society rubbed shock side silk spark standing on wax stroke suppose surface suspended thread tion touch the wire tricity trified tube upper vapors
Popular passages
Page 65 - They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Page 154 - We indeed seem to feel our own want of political wisdom since we have been running about in search of it. We have gone back to ancient history for models of government and examined the different forms of those republics which, having been formed with the seeds of their own dissolution, now no longer exist.
Page 196 - A turkey is to be killed for our dinner by the electrical shock and roasted by the electrical jack before a fire kindled by the electrified bottle; when the healths of all the famous electricians in England, Holland, France and Germany are to be drank in electrified bumpers under the discharge of guns from the electrical battery.
Page 154 - I have lived, sir, a long time ; and the longer I live. the more convincing proofs I see of this truth : That GOD goverra in the affairs of men ! And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid ? We have been assured, sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ' except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.
Page 155 - I therefore beg leave to move, That henceforth prayers, imploring the assistance of heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business; and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service.
Page 273 - This kite is to be raised when a thunder-gust appears to be coming on, and the person who holds the string must stand within a door or window, or under some cover, so that the silk ribbon may not be wet ; and care must be taken that the twine does not touch the frame of the door or window.
Page 214 - ... needle, and gilt to prevent rusting, and from the foot of those rods a wire down the outside of the building into the ground, or down round one of the shrouds of a ship, and down her side till it reaches the water ? Would not these pointed rods probably draw the electrical fire silently out of a cloud before it came nigh enough to strike, and thereby secure us from that most sudden and terrible mischief?
Page 185 - These appearances we attempt to account for thus : We suppose, as aforesaid, that electrical fire is a common element, of which every one of the three persons above mentioned has his equal share, before any operation is begun with the tube. A, who stands on wax and rubs the tube, collects the electrical fire from himself into the glass, and his communication with the common stock being cut off by the wax, his body is not again immediately supplied.
Page 156 - Steele, a Protestant, in a dedication tells the Pope, that the only difference between our two churches in their opinions of the certainty of their doctrine, is, the Romish Church is infallible, and the Church of England is never in the wrong.
Page 156 - It therefore astonishes me, Sir, to find this system approaching so near to perfection as it does ; and I think it will astonish our enemies, who are waiting with confidence to hear, that our...