study that so engrossed my attention and my time as this has
lately done."

Franklin's letters to Collinson tell of his first experiments and
speculations as to the nature of electricity. Experiments made by
a little group of friends showed the effect of pointed bodies in
drawing off electricity. He decided that electricity was not the
result of friction, but that the mysterious force was diffused
through most substances, and that nature is always alert to
restore its equilibrium. He developed the theory of positive and
negative electricity, or plus and minus electrification. The same
letter tells of some of the tricks which the little group of
experimenters were accustomed to play upon their wondering
neighbors. They set alcohol on fire, relighted candles just blown
out, produced mimic flashes of lightning, gave shocks on touching
or kissing, and caused an artificial spider to move mysteriously.

Franklin carried on experiments with the Leyden jar, made an
electrical battery, killed a fowl and roasted it upon a spit
turned by electricity, sent a current through water and found it
still able to ignite alcohol, ignited gunpowder, and charged
glasses of wine so that the drinkers received shocks. More
important, perhaps, he began to develop the theory of the
identity of lightning and electricity, and the possibility of
protecting buildings by iron rods. By means of an iron rod he
brought down electricity into his house, where he studied its
effect upon bells and concluded that clouds were generally
negatively electrified. In June, 1752, he performed the famous
experiment with the kite, drawing down electricity from the
clouds and charging a Leyden jar from the key at the end of the