The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 1Browne, Thomas, Sir
Religion
The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 1
Browne, Thomas, Sir
Christianity; Ethics; Religion and medicine
First, Therefore it is true, and confirmable by every experiment, that
Steel and good Iron never excited by the Loadstone, discover in
themselves a verticity; that is, a directive or polary faculty, whereby,
conveniently placed, they do Septentrionate at one extream, and
Australize at another. This is manifestable in long and thin plates of
Steel perforated in the middle and equilibrated; or by an easier way in
long wires equiponderate with untwisted Silk and soft Wax; for in this
manner pendulous, they will conform themselves Meridionally, directing
one extream unto the North, another to the South. The same is also
manifest in Steel wires thrust through little sphears or globes of Cork
and floated on the water, or in naked Needles gently let fall thereon;
for so disposed they will not rest, until they have found out the
Meridian, and as near as they can lye parallel unto the Axis of the
Earth: Sometimes the eye, sometimes the point Northward in divers
Needles, but the same point always in most: Conforming themselves unto
the whole Earth, in the same manner as they do unto every Loadstone. For
if a Needle untoucht he hanged above a Loadstone, it will convert into a
parallel position thereto; for in this situation it can best receive its
verticity and be excited proportionably at both extreams. Now this
direction proceeds not primitively from themselves, but is derivative
and contracted from the Magnetical effluxions of the Earth; which they
have winded in their hammering and formation; or else by long
continuance in one position, as we shall declare hereafter.
It is likewise true what is delivered of Irons heated in the fire, that
they contract a verticity in their refrigeration; for heated red hot and
cooled in the Meridian from North to South, they presently contract a
polary power, and being poised in air or water, convert that part unto
the North which respected that point in its refrigeration, so that if
they had no sensible verticity before, it may be acquired by this way;
or if they had any, it might be exchanged by contrary position in the
cooling. For by the fire they omit not onely many drossie and scorious
parts, but whatsoever they had received either from the Earth or
Loadstone; and so being naked and despoiled of all verticity, the
Magnetical Atomes invade their bodies with more effect and agility.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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