FRANKLIN, Benjamin. Experiments and observations on electric - Lot 226

FRANKLIN, Benjamin. Experiments and observations on electricity made in America by Mr. Benjamin. Franklin & communicated in several letters to M.P. Collison of the Royal Society of London. Published in Paris by Chez Durand in 1752. In twelve / In-12 (17cm) format. White boards. Smooth spine. Later binding. 24-LXX-(10)-222 pages, one folding plate of ten black engraved figures. Staining to lower corner of first few pages, scattered foxing. First edition of the French translation of Benjamin Franklin's letters presenting his discoveries and the results of his research on electricity to Peter Collison. The work contains an "Abridged History of Electricity" as a preface. The latter is, in part, by the scientist and translator François Dalibard, whose experiments on electricity predate those of B. Franklin. The remainder of this history corresponds to a dissertation written in 1748 for the Académie de Bordeaux by Jean-Baptiste de Secondat, son of Montesquieu. A good copy.