One of the stories that has always charmed schoolchildren is that of Dr. Franklin and his kite; and the quaint little illustration that appeared in Franklin’s lifetime, and that was printed by him hundreds of times over, is still reproduced in the accounts of this experiment. It was not until 1746, or 1747, after Franklin had been making original researches in science for about five years, that he took up the subject of electricity. Franklin was then forty-one years old. The subject was literally “in the air.” Peter Collinson, of London, had presented to the Philadelphia Library one of the new glass tubes that was rubbed with silk or skin to produce electricity. Franklin began at once to experiment with this tube, and people came in crowds to see his performances. Thomas Hopkinson and Philip Syng, who experimented with him, discovered electrical fire, and invented an electrical machine for producing the electrical spark. Franklin discovered what is now known as “positive” and “negative” electricity. He also attempted to explain, in his letters to Collinson, thunder and lightning as phenomena of electricity; and, in 1759, sent him a paper announcing his invention of the lightning-rod, and an explanation of its purpose and action. He also suggested an experiment that would prove that lightning was a form of electricity; and to show that lightning was attracted by points he proposed that a man should stand on a tall steeple, or tower, with a pointed rod and draw electricity from the thunder-clouds. The experiment was tried in France and England, and Franklin was proclaimed the discoverer of the identity of lightning with electricity. Some of the scientists used a tall metal rod. Franklin now thought of the kite experiment, because there were no steeples in Philadelphia tall enough. To an ordinary kite covered with silk he fixed a sharp, pointed wire, rising about a foot above the frame of the kite. To the end of the twine next the hand a silk ribbon was tied; and where the silk and twine joined a key was fastened. When the thunder-clouds passed over the kite, the pointed wire drew the electric fire from them, and down the string to the key, from which electric fire was obtained. This experiment was made in 1752; and the news, as contained in Franklin’s simple letter to Mr. Collinson, spread over the world, and with various theatrical embellishments in the telling.