Planant sur l'Horizon. When they were as high as they chose to be, they made less Flame, and suffer'd the Machine to drive horizontally with the Wind, of which however they felt very little, as they went with it, and as fast. They say they had a charming View of Paris & its Environs, the Course of the River, &c. but that they were once lost, not knowing what Part they were over, till they saw the Dome of the Invalids, which rectified their Ideas. Probably while they were employ'd in keeping up the Fire, the Machine might turn, and by that means they were desorienté as the French call it.

There was a vast Concourse of Gentry in the Garden, who had great Pleasure in seeing the Adventures go off so chearfully, & applauded them by clapping, &c. but there was at the same time a good deal of Anxiety for their Safety. Multitudes in Paris saw the Balloon passing; but did not know there were Men with it, it being then so high that they could not see them.

Devélopant du Gaz. That is, in plain English, burning more Straw; for tho' there is a little Mystery made, concerning the kind of Air with which the Balloon is fill'd I conceive it to be nothing more than hot Smoke or common Air rarify'd, — tho' in this I may be mistaken;

Ayant encore dans leur Galerie le deux tiers de leur approvisionment. That is, their Provision of Straw; of which they carried up a great Quantity. It was well that in the hurry of so hazardous an Experiment, the Flame did not happen by any accidental Mismanagement to lay hold of this Straw; tho' each had a Bucket of Water by him, by way of Precaution.

One of these courageous Philosophers, the Marquis d'Ar

Water was thrown into the Flame, others that it was Spirits of Sal Volatile. It was suppos'd to have risen about 200 Toises: But did not continue long at that height, was carried horizontally by the Wind and descended gently as the Air within grew cooler. So vast a Bulk when it began to rise so majestically in the Air, struck the Spectators with Surprise and Admiration. The Basket contain'd a Sheep, a Duck & a Cock, who except the Cock receiv'd no Hurt by the Fall. The Duke de Crillon made a Feast last Week in the Bois de Boulogne just by my Habitation, on Occasion of the Birth of two Spanish Princes. After the Fireworks, we had a Balloon of about 5 feet Diameter, fill'd with permanent inflammable Air. It was dismiss'd about One o'Clock in the Morning. It carried under it a large Lanthorn with Inscriptions on its Sides. The Night was quite calm and clear, so that it went right up. The Appearance of the Light diminish'd gradually till it appear'd no bigger than one of the Stars, and in about 20 minutes I lost sight of it entirely. It fell the next Day on the other side of the same Wood near the Village Boulogne, about half after 12, having been suspended in the Air 11 hours and a half. It lodg'd in a Tree, and was torn in getting it down; so that it cannot be ascertain'd whether it burst when above or not, tho' that is suppos'd. Smaller Repetitions of the Experiment are making every day in all Quarters. Some of the larger Balloons that have been up, are preparing to be sent up again, in a few Days; but I do not hear of any material Improvements yet made either in the mechanical or chemical Parts of the Operation. Most is expected from the new one undertaken upon Subscription by Messieurs Charles & Robert, who are Men of Science and mechanical Dexterity. It is to carry up a Man. I send

you enclos'd the Proposals, which it is said are already subscribed to by a considerable Number, and likely to be carried into Execution. If I am well at the Time, I purpose to be present, being a Subscriber myself, and shall send you an exact Account of Particulars.

With great Esteem and Respect for yourself and the Society; I have the honour to be,

Sir,

1447. TO DAVID HARTLEY1

MY DEAR FRIEND,

(P. C.)

Passy Oct 16, 1783

I have nothing material to write to you respecting public affairs, but I cannot let Mr. Adams who will see you go without a line, to inquire after your welfare, to inform you of mine, & to assure you of my constant respect and attachment.

I think with you, that your Quaker article is a good one, and that men will in time have sense enough to adopt it, but I fear that time is not yet come.

What would you think of a proposition, if I sh'd make it, of a family compact between England, France, and America? America wd be as happy as the Sabine Girls, if she c be the means of uniting in perpetual peace her father and her husband. What repeated follies are these repeated wars! You do not want to conquer & govern one another. Why then sh'd you continually be employed in injuring & destroying one another? How many excellent things might have been done to promote the internal welfare of each country; what Bridges, roads, canals, and other usefull public works & institutions,

1 From the private collection of Mrs. L. Z. Leiter. — ED.

tending to the common felicity, might have been made and established with the money and men foolishly spent during the last seven centuries by our mad wars in doing one another mischief! You are near neighbours, and each have very respectable qualities. Learn to be quiet and to respect each other's rights. You are all Christians. One is The Most Christian King, and the other Defender of the Faith. Manifest the propriety of these titles by your future conduct. "By this," says Christ, "shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye love one another." "Seek peace, and ensue it." Adieu.

Yours most affectionately

B. FRANKLIN.

1448. TO EDWARD NAIRNE

DEAR SIR,

Passy, October 18, 1783.

I received your favour of August 14th,' by Mr. Sykes, with the book of directions for using your patent electric machine. The machine itself is also come to hand in good order, after some delay on the road; and I think it very ingeniously contrived indeed; I wish your success in the sale may be equal to its merits. The experiments in your pamphlet gave me pleasure, and I shall be glad to see the account you mention of the shortening of wires by lightning.

What you have heard of the eyes of sheep forced out by a stroke of lightning which killed them, puts me in mind of having formerly seen at Philadelphia six horses all killed by lightning in a stable, every one of whom appeared to have bled at

the eyes, nose, and mouth; though I do not recollect that any of their eyes were out.1

You are so good as to consider how much my time has been taken up, and to excuse on that account my being a bad correspondent. Near three years ago I began a letter to you on the subject of hygrometers. I had written three folio pages of it, when I was interrupted by some business; and, before I had time to finish it, I had mislaid it. I have now found it, and, having added what I suppose I had intended to add, I enclose it. You can judge better than myself, whether my idea of such an instrument is practicable and may be useful.

If you favour me with another line, let me know how Mrs. Nairne does, and your amiable children. With great esteem, &c. B. FRANKLIN.

1449. TO DAVID HARTLEY2

Passy, Oct. 22, 1783.

I received my dear friend's kind letter of the 4th instant from Bath with your proposed temporary convention, which you desire me to show to my colleagues. They are both by this time in London, where you will undoubtedly see and con

1 "I have lately met with a circumstance of the effects of Lightning which I never heard of before. My authority is part of a letter from the Duke of Marlborough to Professor Hornby of Oxford, who is now at Ramsgate for his Health, where he read it to me. A Gentleman told the Duke that in the Storm of Lightning which happened lately in Oxfordshire he had several of his Sheep killed under a Tree. I think it was thirteen, & that when they came to examine them, they found that everyone of them had the Balls of their Eyes forced out." (Nairne).- ED.

2 From "The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin," Vol. II, p. 408.-ED.