Section 47

CHAP.
Of the Wonders of the Load/lone,
201
Chap. XX.
Of the mutual attractions and driving off of the Loadftone, and of Iron.
N Oar are we come to the other part of our Treaty, wherein we difcourfe of the mutual union of Loadrtones, and of their differences one with the other: the effects whereof are fo known, that they are in the mouths of all men , nor will any man almoft fay that he knows them not. The operation is this : Becaufe there is fuch a Natural concord and fy mpathy between the iron and the Loadftone, as if they had made a League ; that when the Loadftone comes neer the iron, the iron prefent- ly ftirs, and runs to meet it, to be embraced by the Loadftone. And that embracech it fo faft, that with tofling of it up and down , you can fcarce part them. And the Loadftone runs as faft to the iron, and is as much in love with that , and unity with ic ; for neither of them will refufe to be drawn. But the weaker ftill runs willingly to meet the other. That you may believe this, you (hall try it thus : Either hang them both by a th read, or put them in boats, or balance them on the needle,P//'«? fpeaking of this, faith, For what is more wonderful ? or wherein is Nature more wanton ? what is more fluggifh than a cold (tone ? yet Nature hath given this both fenfe and hands. What is more powerful than hard iron ? yet it yields and fubmits : for the Loadftone draws it \ and that matter that conquers all things , runs after I know not what ; and as ic comes neer, it Mops, and lays faft hold, and flays conflantly to be embraced. Lucretimy fecking the caufe of this effect,
How itfhouldbe that Loadftone Iron draws :
And Orphetu in his Verfes relates , that iron is drawn by the Loadftone , as a Bride after the Bridegroom , to be embraced • and the iron is fo defirons to joyn with ic as her husband, and is fo follicitous to meet the Loadftone : when it is hindred by its weight, yet it willftandanend , as if it held up its hands to beg of cheftone, and flattering of it, as if ic were impatient that it cannot come at it by reafon of its ponderosity ; and (news that ic is not content with its condition: but if ic once kift the Loadftone, as if the defire were fatisfied,it then is at reft ; and they arc fo mutu- ally in love , that if one cannot come at the other, ic will hang pendulous in the air. Wherefore Alberttt* very ignorantly told Frederick the Emperour,that a friend of his fhew*d a Loadftone that did not attract iron, but was attracted by it : Unce the light- er of ihefe two will ftir, when the heavier approaches neer it.
i
C N A P. XXI.
' The Iron and Loadftone are in greater amity y then the Loadftone is with the Loadftone*
*J*He exceeding love of the Iron with the Loadftone , is greater and more effectual and far ftronger, then that of the Loadftone with the Loadftone ; and this is eafi- ly proved : For lay on a Table, pieces of iron , and Loadftone of the fame weight ; and let another Loadftone be brought neer j when it comes to a fit diftance, the iron will prefently ftir, and runs toward the Loadftone and embraceth it. And it is pro- % ed better thus; Let a Loadftone embrace a Loadftone,and be fet foftly neer the iron, when the force of its circumference comes to the iron, the Loadftone will prefencly lec fall the Loadftone, and lay hold on the iron : but let iron and that be joyned no Loadftone can ever take them afunder to flick there.
Chap, XXII. The Loadftone doth not draw on aH partly fat at certain points.
' WC ?uft n^ lhl?k tbat thc Lotdflone dnm the iron with every parr, buc at a let and ccrcain point ; which is 10 be fearched out, with great reafon, care, and
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diligence, You (hall find it thug : cither hang up the iron, or balance it on a Ta- ble, that it may prefently leap to be embraced from them: then carry your Load- ftone round about it • and when you fee the iron tremble, and run toward the Load- ftone , touching it, that is the very point of attra&ion , and the beams of its vertue arc fent round about from that point: wherefore, the farther from that point the iron is, the more faintly and weakly will it move ; for the more forcible vcrtuc nsfts in the Centre, as in its Throne.
Chap. XXIIT. Thai the [ame Loadfione th-n drawsydoth on the contrary point drive of the iron,
THat no man might be deceived, thinking the Lcadftone that draws iron , to be different from that ftone that drives it off ; 1 tell him of it beforehand , and I fhall by experiments diffipate this cloud. Pliny faith, the Loadftone that draws iron to it, is not the fame with that which drives iron from it. And again, In the fame Ethiopia, there is a mountain that produceth the ftone Theamedes , that drives off iron, and reje&eth it. Pliny not knowing this, erred exceedingly , thinking that they were two ttones that had thefe contrary operations • whereas it is but one and the fame ftone, that by fympathy and fitnilitude, draws the willing iron to it ; but with the oppofite part, by antipathy of Natures , it drives it off. And you may be eafily affured of this : for let iron be balanced equally, and let one end of the Loadftone draw it, if you turn the other end to it , it will flyback, and turn to the contrary part : thefe points run in a right line through the middle of the ftone. Yet obfervc this , that the iron which is drawn by one point of the Loadftonc , or is within the compafs of its vertue for a while, obtains prefently this vertue : that what is drawn by the one end of it, will be driven off by the other. You fhall know thefe differ- ences of attraction more clearly by the following experiment.
Chap. XXIV. How irm will be made leap upon a Table, no Loadjlont being feen.
BY reafon of this confent and difcord of theLoadftone, I ufc to make pretty fport to make my frien ds merry. For catting the iron on the Table, and not putting any Loadftoneneer it , that the fpe$acors canfee,the iron will feem to move itfelf: which is very pleafant to behold. I do it thus : divide a needle in the middle , cart onehalf of k upon the Table, but firft rub the head of it with one end of theLoad- ftone. Put your hand with the Loadftone privately under the Table, and there where • the head of the needle lyeth , the Lcadftone will ft ick, and the needle will prefently ftand upright: and ftandingfo, to the wonder of the beholders, will walk over the Table, and follow the motion of the hand that guides it : when it hath gone thus a while , prefently turn the ftone upfide down, and put the contrary part of theLoad- ftone to the needle, and (which is ftrange)the needle will turn about : and if it went on the head before, it will now goon the point ; and draw yonr hand which way you will , the needle will follow it : and if you turn the ftone three or four times, putting fometimes the fcuth point , fometimes the north point of the ftone to it , the needle will turn as often, and fometimes ftand on the head, fometimes on the point upright, or walk fo as you pleafe^ and fometime it will go with that part it ftood upon,fome- times it will fand on the part it went. I can prefent my friends with the fame fight,, in a more range manner : for if you put the two pieces of a needle upon a paper or Table, whereof one hath touched the north point , the other the fouth point of the ftone , I can lb place two Hones, that one of the needles fhall go upon the head, the other upon the point ; and fometimes one fhaH turn, thcn both at once, or they fhall dance orderly, and move when any mufickis playd on. And this is a pretty fight to {hew your fricnds,that cannot but admire it.
. ■ Chip.
Of the Wonders of the Loadjtone. 203
Chap. XXV. That the vertue of the Loadfiom^ is fern through the pieces of Iron,
TTHar vertue that is imparted to the iron, by the L^ad'one, doth not' ay in the iron, but is lent from one to another For if you draw* .' eel needle byihe touch of theLoadi-one, and put another needle to the end of that need'e, that pare will draw the needle, and hold it hanging in the air j and if you apply another nee- d e to rhat,it will do the fame.
Yob may do thi- with af many needles, as the force of the Load'one can reach unto ; but when it grows faint, the needle will let the other needle fail , as not ha- ving l.rcngth enough to bear its weight. And thus you may hang a great many nee» dies in a chain in the air. PUto knew this venue , for he (peaks of it in lone : which fone, not onely draws iron rings, but infufeth vertue into the rings them- felves, that they can do the fame, and attract rings as the times you fhall fee a long concatenation of iron rings , and all the vertue of them is attracted from that none. Lucretius knew it alio.
A Stone there is that men admire much, That makes rings hmg in chains by touch. Sometimes five or fix linl^s will be Fafijojw'd together , and agree. AH this vertnejrom the Stone arifeth, Such force tt hath —
P/f»jrfpeakingo'f the fame vertne, faith, Onely this matter receives Prength from another None, and holds it a long time ; laying boid of another iron , that fome- times yon (Vail fee a chain of rings, which the ignorant vu gar call Live iron Galen, You may fee in the Loadftone, that when it toucheth irony-k will rick to it, withouc any bands: and if that was fir^.tpuched, touch another, that will i Kk as the firtt doth ; and ike wife a third to the fecond. jtuguftwe de ctvitate D «, fpeaking of this wonder, faid, We know that the Load one will wonderfully draw iron ; which when I firft faw, I trembled at it exceedingly. For T law an iron ring drawn by the done, that hung in the air by it, that communicated the lame force to others : for another ring put to the firft , made that hang alfo ; and as the firft ring hung by the done , fo the fecond ring huns by the firft ring. In the fame manner was there a third and fourth ring applied , and faftned ; and fo their rings hung together by the outlines, not faftned inwardly, like to a chain of rings. Who would not admire at the vertue of thisftone? that was not onely within it, but ran through fo many rings, that hun°by it, and held them raft withinvifible bands. But the greater the vertue of the Loadftoneis , the more rings it will hang up : I have hang'd ten needles with a ftone of a pound weight. But he that wou!d draw many needles , let him tub the heads onely againft theLoadftone, and they will all hold the heads by their points.
Chap. XXVf. The Loadflene within the Jphere of its vertue^ fends it forth without touching.
ANd the Loadftone doth not onely impart its vertue to the iron , by touching if, but) which is wonderful, within the compafs of its vertue, it will impart vertue 10 the iron , if it be but prefent , to draw another iron. For if you put your Load- ftone fo neer to the iron, that it may have it onely within the circumference of its venue , and you put another iron neer to that iron, it will draw ic to it ; and if ano- ther touch that which is drawn, it will draw that alfo : that you fhall fee a long chain ©f rings or needles, hanging in the air. But when they hang thus together ; if yoa'
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emove the Loadftone a little farther ofF,the laft ring will fall . and if yet yon remove; t farther, the next will/ail, until they all fall oft : whence it is clear, that without touching, it can impart its venue to the iron.
Chap. XX VII.
Hjjv the Loadftone can hang up iron in the air.
¥ Have a long time endeavoured much to make iron hang in the air, and not touch X the Loadftone, nor yet tied beneath : and now I think it almort impoflible to be done . fany faith it : Dmocrates the Architect began to vault the Temple of Arfinoe with Loadftone, that therein her Image of iron might leem to hang rn the air : both he and Ptolomy died, who commanded ibis to be made for his fitter ; fo that what he began, be did not finifh The Greeks fay, that in the Temple of Serapis , that is vaulted at Alexandria, there was a Load-rtonefet , that held aftatneof braf3inthe air ; for it had a piece of iron in the head of it. But that is falfe, that Mahomets cheft hangs by the roof of the Temple. Petrm Pellegrinm laith, he fhewed ia another work how thac might be done : but that work is not to be found. Why I think ic extream hard, I (hall fay afterwards. But I fay it may be done , becauie I have now done it» to hold it fart by an invifible band, to hang in the air ; onely io, that it be bound with a fmall thread beneath, that it may not rife higher: andthen rtrivingto catch hold of the ft one above, it will hang in the air, and tremble and wag it feif.
Chap. XXVIII.
1' he forces of the Loadftone cannot be hindredy by a waller table coming between,
AS I faid before of the Loadftone , the venue of that and iron , can be hindred by no body coming between ; but it will do its office. For whilft the Load- ftone is moved under a Table of wood, ftone, or any metal, except iron ; the needle in the Mariner? Compafs will move above , as if there were no body between them, St. isfuguftine Lib. decivitateDei, knew this experiment. But that is much more wonderful that I have heard : that if one hold a Loadftone under a piece ot filver, and put a piece f>f iron above the filvcr, as he moves his hard underneath that holds the ftone , fo will the iron move above j and the filver being in the middle , and fuffer- isg nothing, running io fwiftly up and down, that the ftone was pull'd tromthe hand of the man, and took hold of the iron.
Chap. XXIX. How a man of wood may row a little Boat j and fome other merry conceits,
THe fraud here is notable* for women (ball fee a man of wood rowing a little boat well waxed, in a large veffel full of water , and they can counterfeit here- by as importers do divination by water. The fraud is thus began : the vffel is fil- led with water, a little fhip of Wax is put into it, or elfe1 of wood ; in the middle fits alitrlemanof wood, faftned through the middle with a hogs-briftle , fo t quail ba- lanced, that with every light motion he may eifily Hirhimfelf : let him have oai sin his hands, and under his feet a piece of iron. Let the Alphabet be made on the brim of the veffel, round about : wherefore a woman coming to erquire of feme doubtful matter, the little man of wood, as if hewonld give a trueanfwer, will row to thofe letters that may fignifie the anfwer : for he that holds the Loadftone in bis band, un- der the Table, can draw the boat which way he will , acd fowill aniwer by joyning thefe letters together. Or put a boy of cork into a glafs viol , with abroad mouth, that turns himfelf about the needle equally balanced ; and about the glafs v«flel,makc the Alphabet, that the man turning round abcut may give anfwers. Butlmademy friends wonder exceedingly to fee
A
Of the mnders of the Loadftone,
A paper go Hp A wall^and come down ef it [elf.
For T glew'd a piece of iron on the bsckhde of the paper , and I gave it my friends to holdro the wall ; but behinde ftcod a boy with a Loadiione, apd the paper was lefc there, ftood ftill : my friend commanded it to go up two foot : the boy that heard what wis commanded, moved the Loadftone againft it, to that place : and the paper moved thither alio, and i'o downwards, or fide- ways : they that knew not the rcafon were aftonifhed at it. Bin, which exceeds all, when he moved the Load- ftone over his head, by an arch of wood, it drew the paper after it . whereupon the piper hung over our heads and moved : but ail that faw it , believed the Divel was checaufeof it.