Benjamin Franklin Papers

To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph Priestley, 28 November 1768

From Joseph Priestley

ALS: American Philosophical Society

Leeds. 28 Novr. 1768.

Dear Sir

According to my promise, I send you the other paper, containing an account of experiments, which I desire you would lay before the Royal Society.7 I have material for another short paper of Miscellaneous experiments, but I think it better to wait till I have enlarged on it, and completed some of the courses particularly that concerning Magnetism. I made use of one needle for a few days, and the eye turned North, when it was suspended, but its strength was very small. I have now three to collect the fire, but I have not tried them. Indeed I make but little use of my machine now, in comparison of what I used to do, and without using a machine very much, little can be expected of such an effect as this.

I hope that our American affairs have rather a better aspect than when I had the pleasure of hearing from you last. I am, with compliments to all our electrical friends, Dear Sir your obliged friend and humble servant

J Priestley

Addressed: To / Doctor Franklin / at Mrs Stephens in Craven-Street / in the Strand / London

Endorsed: Priestly

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

7The paper promised earlier (Priestley to BF above, Nov. 1, 1768) was one of two, dealing with the effects of electrical explosions, which were read before the Royal Society in 1769 and published in sequence: Phil. Trans., LIX (1769), 57–62, 63–70.

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