1ſtronger of which Poles is that which looketh towards the South.
Obſerve, in the next place, that in a little Magnet this South and
more vigorous Pole, becometh weaker, when ever it is to take
up an iron in preſence of the North Pole, of another much
ger Magnet: and not to make any tedious diſcourſe of it,
tain your ſelf, by experience, of theſe and many other properties
deſcribed by Gilbert, which are all ſo peculiar to the Magnet, as
that none of them agree with any other matter. Tell me now,
Simplicius, if there were laid before you a thouſand pieces of
ſeveral matters, but all covered and concealed in a cloth, under
which it is hid, and you were required, without uncovering them,
to make a gueſſe, by external ſignes, at the matter of each of
them, and that in making trial, you ſhould hit upon one that
ſhould openly ſhew it ſelf to have all the properties by you
dy acknowledged to reſide onely in the Magnet, and in no other
matter, what judgment would you make of the eſſence of ſuch a
body? Would you ſay, that it might be a piece of Ebony, or
Alablaſter, or Tin.
Obſerve, in the next place, that in a little Magnet this South and
more vigorous Pole, becometh weaker, when ever it is to take
up an iron in preſence of the North Pole, of another much
ger Magnet: and not to make any tedious diſcourſe of it,
tain your ſelf, by experience, of theſe and many other properties
deſcribed by Gilbert, which are all ſo peculiar to the Magnet, as
that none of them agree with any other matter. Tell me now,
Simplicius, if there were laid before you a thouſand pieces of
ſeveral matters, but all covered and concealed in a cloth, under
which it is hid, and you were required, without uncovering them,
to make a gueſſe, by external ſignes, at the matter of each of
them, and that in making trial, you ſhould hit upon one that
ſhould openly ſhew it ſelf to have all the properties by you
dy acknowledged to reſide onely in the Magnet, and in no other
matter, what judgment would you make of the eſſence of ſuch a
body? Would you ſay, that it might be a piece of Ebony, or
Alablaſter, or Tin.
Our Globe would
have been called
ſtone, in ſtead of
Earth, if that
name had been
uen it in the
ginning.
have been called
ſtone, in ſtead of
Earth, if that
name had been
uen it in the
ginning.
The method of
Gilbert in his
loſophy.
Gilbert in his
loſophy.
Many
ties in the
net.
ties in the
net.
An Argument
proving the
ſtrial Globe to be
a Magnet.
proving the
ſtrial Globe to be
a Magnet.
SIMP. I would ſay, without the leaſt hæſitation, that it was a
piece of Load-ſtone.
piece of Load-ſtone.
SALV. If it be ſo, ſay reſolutely, that under this cover and
ſcurf of Earth, ſtones, metals, water, &c. there is hid a great
Magnet, foraſmuch as about the ſame there may be ſeen by any
one that will heedfully obſerve the ſame, all thoſe very accidents
that agree with a true and viſible Globe of Magnet; but if no
more were to be ſeen than that of the Declinatory Needle, which
being carried about the Earth, more and more inclineth, as it
proacheth to the North Pole, and declineth leſſe towards the
quinoctial, under which it finally is brought to an Æquilibrium,
it might ſerve to perſwade even the moſt ſcrupulous judgment. I
forbear to mention that other admirable effect, which is ſenſibly
obſerved in every piece of Magnet, of which, to us inhabitants
of the Northern Hemiſphere, the Meridional Pole of the ſaid
net is more vigorous than the other; and the difference is found
greater, by how much one recedeth from the Equinoctial; and
under the Equinoctial both the parts are of equal ſtrength, but
notably weaker. But, in the Meridional Regions, far diſtant
from the Equinoctial, it changeth nature, and that part which to
us was more weak, acquireth more ſtrength than the other: and
all this I confer with that which we ſee to be done by a ſmall
piece of Magnet, in the preſence of a great one, the vertue of
which ſuperating the leſſer, maketh it to become obedient to it,
and according as it is held, either on this or on that ſide the
noctial of the great one, maketh the ſelf ſame mutations,
which I have ſaid are made by every Magnet, carried on this
ſcurf of Earth, ſtones, metals, water, &c. there is hid a great
Magnet, foraſmuch as about the ſame there may be ſeen by any
one that will heedfully obſerve the ſame, all thoſe very accidents
that agree with a true and viſible Globe of Magnet; but if no
more were to be ſeen than that of the Declinatory Needle, which
being carried about the Earth, more and more inclineth, as it
proacheth to the North Pole, and declineth leſſe towards the
quinoctial, under which it finally is brought to an Æquilibrium,
it might ſerve to perſwade even the moſt ſcrupulous judgment. I
forbear to mention that other admirable effect, which is ſenſibly
obſerved in every piece of Magnet, of which, to us inhabitants
of the Northern Hemiſphere, the Meridional Pole of the ſaid
net is more vigorous than the other; and the difference is found
greater, by how much one recedeth from the Equinoctial; and
under the Equinoctial both the parts are of equal ſtrength, but
notably weaker. But, in the Meridional Regions, far diſtant
from the Equinoctial, it changeth nature, and that part which to
us was more weak, acquireth more ſtrength than the other: and
all this I confer with that which we ſee to be done by a ſmall
piece of Magnet, in the preſence of a great one, the vertue of
which ſuperating the leſſer, maketh it to become obedient to it,
and according as it is held, either on this or on that ſide the
noctial of the great one, maketh the ſelf ſame mutations,
which I have ſaid are made by every Magnet, carried on this