On the magnet, magnetick bodies also, and on the great magnet the earth: a new physiology, demonstrated by many arguments & experiments
History
On the magnet, magnetick bodies also, and on the great magnet the earth: a new physiology, demonstrated by many arguments & experiments
Magnetism -- Early works to 1800
[39] PAGE 6, LINE 36. Page 7, line 1.: _Albertus Magnus_.--Albertus, the
celebrated Archbishop of Ratisbon, is responsible for propagating sundry of
the myths of the magnet; and Gilbert never loses a chance of girding at
him. {18} The following examples are taken from the treatise _De
mineralibus et rebus metallicis_ (Liber II. _de lapidibus preciosis_),
Venet., 1542.
p. 171. "Et quod mirabile videtur multis his lapis [adamas] quando Magneti
supponitur ligat Magnetem et non permittit ipsum ferrum trahere."
p. 193. "Vnctus aut[~e] lapis alleo non trahit, si superponitur ei Adamas
iterum non attrahit, ita quod paruus Adamas magn[~u] ligat Magnet[~e].
Inventus aut[~e] est nostris t[~e]poribus Magnes qui ab uno angulo traxit
ferr[~u] et ab alio fugavit, et hunc Aristot. ponit aliud genus esse
Magnetis. Narrauit mihi quidam ex nostris sociis experim[~e]tator quod
uidit Federicum Imperatorem habere Magnetem qui non traxit ferrum, sed
ferrum uiceuersa traxit lapidem."
The first edition of this work _de mineralibus_ appears to have been
publisht in Venice as a folio in 1495.
[40] PAGE 7, LINE 9. Page 7, line 15. _Gaudentius Merula_.--This obscure
passage is from Liber IIII., cap. xxi., _Lapides_, of the work
_Memorabilium Gaudentii Merulæ..._ (Lugd., 1556), where we find:
"Qui magneti vrsæ sculpserit imaginem, quãdo Luna melius illuc aspiciat, &
filo ferreo susp[~e]derit, compos fiet vrsæ cælestis virtutis: verùm cum
Saturni radiis vegetetur, satius fuerit eam imaginem non habere: scribunt
enim Platonici malos dæmones septentrionales esse" (p. 287).
"Trahit autem magnes ferrum ad se, quod ferro sit ordine superior apud
vrsum" (p. 287).
The almost equally obscure passage in the _De triplici vita_ of Marsiglio
Ficino (Basil., 1532) runs:
"Videmus in specula nautarum indice poli libratum acum affectum in
extremitate Magnete moueri ad Vrsam, illuc uidelicet trahente Magnete:
quoniam & in lapide hoc præualet uirtus Vrsæ, & hinc transfertur in ferrum,
& ad Vrsam trahit utrunq;. Virtus autem eiusmodi tum ab initio infusa est,
tum continue Vrsæ radijs uegetatur, Forsitan ita se habet Succinum ad polum
alterum & ad paleas. Sed dic interea, Cur Magnes trahit ubiq; ferrum? non
quia simile, alioquin & Magnetem Magnes traheret multo magis, ferrum[=q];
ferr[=u]: non quia superior in ordine corporum, imò superius est lapillo
metallum ... Ego autem quum hæc explorata hactenus habuissem admodum
gratulabar, cogitabam[=q]; iuuenis adhuc Magneti pro uiribus inscluperet
(_sic_) coelestis Vrsæ figuram, quando Luna melius illuc aspiciat, & ferro
t[=u]c filo collo suspendere. Sperabam equidem ita demum uirtutis me
sideris illius compotem fore," &c. (p. 172).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account