itannica_; and every country, in
which science has flourished, can furnish instances for similar
observations.

Here my reader will thank me, and the writer will, I hope, forgive me,
if I quote a passage from the postscript of a letter which I happen to
have just received from that excellent, and in my opinion, not too
enthusiastical philosopher, father Beccaria of Turin.

_Mi spiace che il mondo politico ch'e pur tanto passeggero,
rubbi il grande Franklin al mondo della natura, che non sa ne
cambiare, ne mancare._ In English. "I am sorry that the
_political world_, which is so very transitory, should take the
great Franklin from the _world of nature_, which can never
change, or fail."

I own it is with peculiar pleasure that I quote this passage, respecting
this truly great man, at a time when some of the infatuated politicians
of this country are vainly thinking to build their wretched and
destructive projects, on the ruins of his established reputation; a
reputation as extensive as the spread of science itself, and of which it
is saying very little indeed, to pronounce that it will last and
flourish when the names of all his enemies shall be forgotten.

I think it proper, upon this occasion, to inform my friends, and the
public, that I have, for the present, suspended my design of writing
_the history and present state of all the branches of experimental
philosophy_. This has arisen not from any dislike of the undertaking,
but, in truth, because I see no prospect of being reasonably indemnified
for so much labour and expence, notwithstanding the specimens I have
already given of that work (in the _history of electricity_, and of the
_discoveries relating to vision, light, and colours_) have met with a
much more favourable reception from the best judges both at home and
abroad, than I expected. Immortality, if I should have any view to it,
is not the proper price of such works as these.

I propose, however, having given so much attention to the subject of
_air_, to write, at my leisure, the history and present state of
discoveries relating to it; in which case I shall, as a part of it,
reprint this work, with such improvements as shall have occurred to me
at that time; and I give this notice of it, that no person who intends
to purchase it may have reason (being thus apprised of my intention) to
complain of buying the same thing twice. If any person chuse it, he may
save his five or