Appreciating the great loss which the country sustained by the death of Franklin, Congress ordered a general mourning for one month throughout the fourteen States of the Union; and the French National Assembly decreed three days of public mourning at the instance of Mirabeau, who said in his address that "The genius that gave freedom to America and scattered torrents of light upon Europe, has returned to the bosom of the Divinity. Antiquity would have erected altars to that mortal who for the advantage of the human race, embracing both heaven and earth in his vast mind, knew how to subdue both thunder and tyranny." The fugitive apprentice boy of 1723 turned out to be one of the most esteemed and eminent Americans of his day. Of an even temper and well-balanced mind, he was plain in dress, simple in manner, easy of approach and friendly to all. The success which he achieved during his long career of eighty-five years, shows what may be done by seizing the opportunities which come to every one, by concentration of mind, application to duty and tenacity of purpose. He attained distinction in science, in letters, in diplomacy; he stood for good government and true liberty. His name is a household one in his own country, where monuments, institutions and cities will bear it down to posterity. ADDENDA. _The Lightning Kite._ Fully described by Franklin in a letter to Peter Collinson, of London, dated October 19th, 1752. Stuber in his "Continuation of the Life of Dr. Franklin," and Priestley in his "History of Electricity," affirm that Franklin made the experiment in June, 1752. Franklin's son, William, never denied the story, although he figured in it as an active character. William Temple Franklin, who prepared for publication his grandfather's works, gives the kite story almost verbatim from Stuber. Finally, Franklin himself states that he made the experiment: Memoirs, Vol. I., p. 164. _Franklin and de Romas._ June, 1752: Franklin raises his kite in a field near Philadelphia. July 12, 1752: Letter of de Romas to the Academy of Bordeaux, in which a probable reference is made to the kite as _un jeu d'enfant_. October 19th, 1752: Franklin describes the "lightning kite" in a letter to Peter Collinson, of London. May 14th, 1753: First use by de Romas of the electric kite in the fields around Nérac; no result. June 7th, 1753: First success by de Romas with his electric kite. _Pointed Conductor._ Suggested by Franklin in letter to Peter Collinson, of London, dated July 29th, 1750. D'Alibard, following Franklin's instructions, gets torrents of discharges from his iron rod 40 feet high at Marly, May 10th, 1752. De Lor gets good results from his conductor 99 feet high, erected over his house in Paris, May 18th, 1752. De Buffon succeeds with his rod on May 19th, 1752.