Atricteft principles of equity; and the proprietary eftates bore only a proportionable fhare of the expences of fupporting government.

After the completion of this important bufinefs, Franklin remained at the court of Great Britain, as agent for the province of Pennfylvania. The extenfive knowledge which he poffeffed of the fituation of the colonies, and the regard which he always manifested for their interefts, occafioned his appointment to the fame office by the colonies of Maffachufetts, Maryland, and Georgia. His conduct, in this fituation, was fuch as rendered him ftill more dear to his countrymen.

He had now an opportunity of indulging in the fociety of those friends, whom his merits. had procured him while at a distance. The regard which they had entertained for him was rather encreased by a perfonal acquaintance. The oppofition which had been made to his difcoveries in philofophy gradually ceased, and the rewards of literary merit were abundantly conferred upon him. The Royal Society of London, which had at first refused his performances admiffion into its tranfactions, now thought it an honour to rank him among its fellows. Other focieties of Europe were equally ambitious of calling him a member. The univerfity of St. Andrew's in Scotland, conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Laws. Its example was followed by the Universities of Edinburgh and of Oxford. His correfpondence was fought for by the most eminent Philofophers of Europe. His letters to thefe abound with

true science, delivered in the moft fimple unadoined manner.

The province of Canada was at this time in the poffeffion of the French, who had originally fettled it. The trade with the Indians, for which its fituation was very convenient, was exceedingly lucrative. the French traders here found a market for their commodities, and received in return large quantities of rich furs, which they difpofed of at a high price in Eu rope. Whilft the poffeffion of this country was highly advantageous to France, it was a grie vous inconvenience to the inhabitants of the British colonies. The Indians were almost ge

nerally defirous to cultivate the friendship of the French, by whom they were abundantly fupplied with arms and ammunition. Whene

ver a war happened, the Indians were ready to fall upon the frontiers: and this they frequently did, even when Great Britain and France were at peace. From these confiderations, it appear, ed to be the intereft of Great Britain to gain the poffeffion of Canada. But the importance of fuch an acquifition was not well understood in England. Franklin about this time published his Canada pamphlet, in which he, in a very forcible manner, pointed out the advantages which would refult from the conquest of this province.

An expedition againft it was planned, and the command given to General Wolfe. His fuccefs is well known. At the treaty in 1762, France ceded Canada to Great Britain, and by her ceffion of Louifiana, at the fame time relinquished all her poffeffiers en the continent of America.

Although Dr. Franklin was now principally occupied with political purfuits, he found time for philofophical studies. He extended his electrical refearches, and made a variety of experiments, particularly on the tourmalin. The fingular properties which this fione poffeffes of being electrified on one fide pofitively, and on the other negatively, by heat alone, without friction, had been but lately observed.

Some experiments on the cold produced by evaporation, made by Dr. Cullen, had been communicated to Dr. Franklin by profeffor Simplon of Glasgow. These he repeated, and found, that, by the evaporation of either in the exhaufted receiver of an air-pump, fo great a degree of cold was produced in a fummer's day, that water was converted into ice. This difcovery he applied. to the folution of a number of phenomena, particularly a fingular fact, which philofophers had endeavoured in vain to account for, viz. that the temperature of the human body, when in health, never exceeds 96 degrees of Farenheit's thermometer, although the atmosphere which furrounds

it

may be heated to a much greater degree. This he attributed to the increafed perspiration, and confequent evaporation produced by the heat.

In a letter to Mr. Small of London, dated in May 1760, Dr. Franklin makes a number of obfervations, tending to fhew that, in North America, north-eaft ftorms begin in the fouthweft parts. It appears, from actual obfervation, that a north-eaft ftorm, which extended a confiderable diftance, commenced at Philadelphia nearly four hours before it was felt at Bofton.

He endeavoured to account for this, by fuppofing that, from heat, fome rarefaction takes place about the Gulph of Mexico, that the air further north being cooler rufhes in, and is fucceeded by the cooler and denfer air ftill further north, and that thus a continued current is at length produced.

The tone produced by rubbing the brim of a drinking glafs with a wet finger had been generally known. A Mr. Puckeridge, an Irishman, by placing on a table a number of glaffes of different fizes, and tuning them by partly filling them with water, endeavoured to form an inftrument capable of playing tunes. He was prevented by an untimely end, from bringing his invention to any degree of perfection. After his death fome improvements were made upon his plan. The fweetness of the tones induced Dr. Franklin to make a variety of experiments; and he at length formed that elegant inftrument, which he has called the Armonica.

In the fummer of 1762 he returned to America. On his paffage he observed the fingular effect produced by the agitation of a vessel, containing oil floating on water. The furface of the oil remains fmooth and undisturbed, whilft the water is agitated with the utmost commotion. No fatisfactory explanation of this appearance has, we believe, ever been given.

Dr. Franklin received the thanks of the affembly of Pennfylvania, as well for the faithful difcharge of his duty to that province in particular, as for the many and important fervices done to America in general, during his refidence in

Great Britain."

A compenfation of 5000l. Pennsylvania currency, was alfo decreed him for his services during fix years.

During his abfence he had been annually elected member of the affembly. On his return to Pennsylvania he again took his feat in this body, and continued a steady defender of the liberties of the people.

In December 1762, a circumftance which caufed great alarm in the province took place. A number of Indians had refided in the county of Lancaster, and conducted themselves uniformly as friends to the white inhabitants. Repeated depredations on the frontiers had exafperated the inhabitants to fuch a degree, that they determined on revenge upon every Indian. A number of perfons, to the amount of 120, principally inhabitants of Donnegal and Peck ftang or Paxton townfhips, in the county of York, affembled; and, mounted on horfeback, proceeded to the fettlement of these harmless and defenceless Indians, whose number had now reduced to about twenty. The Indians received intelligence of the attack which was intended against them, but difbelieved it. Confidering the white people as their friends, they apprehended no danger from them. When the party arrived at the Indian fettlement, they found only fome women and children, and a few old men, the reft being abfent at work. They murdered all whom they found, and amongst others the chief Shahaes, who had been always distinguifhed for his friendship to the whites. This bloody deed excited much indignation in the well-difpofed part of the community.