1cauſes of the true concluſions obſerved by himſelf. Which
ſons (freely ſpeaking) do not knit and bind ſo faſt, as thoſe
doubtedly ought to do, in that of natural, neceſſary, and laſting
concluſions may be alledged. And I doubt not, but that in
ceſſe of time this new Science will be perfected with new
vations, and, which is more, with true and neceſſary
tions. Nor ought the glory of the firſt Inventor to be thereby
diminiſhed, nor do I leſſe eſteem, but rather more admire, the
Inventor of the Harp (although it may be ſuppoſed that the
ſtrument at firſt was but rudely framed, and more rudely
ed) than an hundred other Artiſts, that in the inſuing Ages
ced that profeſſion to great perfection. And methinks, that
tiquity had very good reaſon to enumerate the firſt Inventors of
the Noble Arts amongſt the Gods; ſeeing that the common wits
have ſo little curioſity, and are ſo little regardful of rare and
gant things, that though they ſee and hear them exercirated by
the exquifite profeſſors of them, yet are they not thereby
ſwaded to a deſire of learning them. Now judge, whether
cities of this kind would ever have attempted to have found out
the making of the Harp, or the invention of Muſick, upon the
hint of the whiſtling noiſe of the dry ſinews of a Tortois, or
from the ſtriking of four Hammers. The application to great
inventions moved by ſmall hints, and the thinking that under a
primary and childiſh appearance admirable Arts may lie hid, is
not the part of a trivial, but of a ſuper-humane ſpirit. Now
ſwering to your demands, I ſay, that I alſo have long thought
upon what might poſſibly be the cauſe of this ſo tenacious and
potent union, that we ſee to be made between the one Iron that
armeth the Magnet, and the other that conjoyns it ſelf unto it.
And firſt, we are certain, that the vertue and ſtrength of the ſtone
doth not augment by being armed, for it neither attracts at
greater diſtance, nor doth it hold an Iron the faſter, if between it,
and the arming or cap, a very fine paper, or a leaf of beaten gold,
be interpoſed; nay, with that interpoſition, the naked ſtone
takes up more Iron than the armed. There is therefore no
ration in the vertue, and yet there is an innovation in the effect.
And becauſe its neceſſary, that a new effect have a new cauſe, if
it be inquired what novelty is introduced in the act of taking up
with the cap or arming, there is no mutation to be diſcovered, but
in the different contact; for whereas before Iron toucht
ſtone, now Iron toucheth Iron. Therefore it is neceſſary to
clude, that the diverſity of contacts is the cauſe of the diverſity
of effects. And for the difference of contacts it cannot, as I ſee,
be derived from any thing elſe, ſave from that the ſubſtance of
the Iron is of parts more ſubtil, more pure, and more
ſons (freely ſpeaking) do not knit and bind ſo faſt, as thoſe
doubtedly ought to do, in that of natural, neceſſary, and laſting
concluſions may be alledged. And I doubt not, but that in
ceſſe of time this new Science will be perfected with new
vations, and, which is more, with true and neceſſary
tions. Nor ought the glory of the firſt Inventor to be thereby
diminiſhed, nor do I leſſe eſteem, but rather more admire, the
Inventor of the Harp (although it may be ſuppoſed that the
ſtrument at firſt was but rudely framed, and more rudely
ed) than an hundred other Artiſts, that in the inſuing Ages
ced that profeſſion to great perfection. And methinks, that
tiquity had very good reaſon to enumerate the firſt Inventors of
the Noble Arts amongſt the Gods; ſeeing that the common wits
have ſo little curioſity, and are ſo little regardful of rare and
gant things, that though they ſee and hear them exercirated by
the exquifite profeſſors of them, yet are they not thereby
ſwaded to a deſire of learning them. Now judge, whether
cities of this kind would ever have attempted to have found out
the making of the Harp, or the invention of Muſick, upon the
hint of the whiſtling noiſe of the dry ſinews of a Tortois, or
from the ſtriking of four Hammers. The application to great
inventions moved by ſmall hints, and the thinking that under a
primary and childiſh appearance admirable Arts may lie hid, is
not the part of a trivial, but of a ſuper-humane ſpirit. Now
ſwering to your demands, I ſay, that I alſo have long thought
upon what might poſſibly be the cauſe of this ſo tenacious and
potent union, that we ſee to be made between the one Iron that
armeth the Magnet, and the other that conjoyns it ſelf unto it.
And firſt, we are certain, that the vertue and ſtrength of the ſtone
doth not augment by being armed, for it neither attracts at
greater diſtance, nor doth it hold an Iron the faſter, if between it,
and the arming or cap, a very fine paper, or a leaf of beaten gold,
be interpoſed; nay, with that interpoſition, the naked ſtone
takes up more Iron than the armed. There is therefore no
ration in the vertue, and yet there is an innovation in the effect.
And becauſe its neceſſary, that a new effect have a new cauſe, if
it be inquired what novelty is introduced in the act of taking up
with the cap or arming, there is no mutation to be diſcovered, but
in the different contact; for whereas before Iron toucht
ſtone, now Iron toucheth Iron. Therefore it is neceſſary to
clude, that the diverſity of contacts is the cauſe of the diverſity
of effects. And for the difference of contacts it cannot, as I ſee,
be derived from any thing elſe, ſave from that the ſubſtance of
the Iron is of parts more ſubtil, more pure, and more