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
whether they be refrigerated inclinatorily or somewhat Æquinoxially,
that is toward the Eastern or Western points; though in a lesser degree,
they discover some verticity.
Nor is this onely true in Irons, but in the Loadstone it self. For if a
Loadstone be made red hot, it loseth the magnetical vigour it had before
in it self, and acquires another from the Earth in its refrigeration;
for that part which cooleth toward the Earth will acquire the respect of
the North, and attract the Southern point or cuspis of the Needle. The
experiment hereof we made in a Loadstone of a parallelogram or long
square figure; wherein onely inverting the extreams, as it came out of
the fire, we altered the poles or faces thereof at pleasure.
It is also true what is delivered of the Direction and coition of Irons,
that they contract a verticity by long and continued position: that is,
not onely being placed from North to South, and lying in the Meridian,
but respecting the Zenith and perpendicular unto the Center of the
Earth; as is manifest in bars of windows, casements, hinges and the
like. For if we present the Needle unto their lower extreams, it wheels
about and turns its Southern point unto them. The same condition in long
time do Bricks contract which are placed in walls, and therefore it may
be a fallible way to find out the Meridian by placing the Needle on a
wall; for some Bricks therein by a long and continued position, are
often magnetically enabled to distract the polarity of the Needle. And
therefore those Irons which are said to have been converted into
Loadstones; whether they were real conversions, or onely attractive
augmentations, might be much promoted by this position: as the Iron
cross of an hundred weight upon the Church of St. _John_ in _Ariminum_,
or that Loadston'd Iron of _Cæsar Moderatus_, set down by _Aldrovandus_.
[SN: _De miner. l. 1._]
Lastly, Irons do manifest a verticity not only upon refrigeration and
constant situation, but (what is wonderful and advanceth the magnetical
Hypothesis) they evidence the same by meer position according as they
are inverted, and their extreams disposed respectively unto the Earth.
For if an Iron or Steel not firmly excited, be held perpendicularly or
inclinatorily unto the Needle, the lower end thereof will attract the
_cuspis_ or Southern point; but if the same extream be inverted and held
under the Needle, it will then attract the lilly or Northern point; for
by inversion it changeth its direction acquired before, and receiveth a
new and Southern polarity from the Earth, as being the upper extream.
Now if an Iron be touched before, it varieth not in this manner; for
then it admits not this magnetical impression, as being already informed
by the Loadstone, and polarily determined by its preaction.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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