324 On the Virgula Divinatoria, 



rich lode, it is not found to dip with the fame force to all 

 metals ; nor, indeed, does it appear to be confined to metals 

 alone, but that it is alfo attracted by coals, bones, lime- 

 ltone, and fprings of water, with different degrees of ftrength, 

 in the following order: — 1. Cold: 2. Copper: 3. Iron: 

 4. Silver: 5. Tin : 6. Lead: 7. Coals: 8. Limeltone and 

 fprings of water. The mode directed by Cookworthy for 

 proving this is the following: With the rod held according to 

 the prefcribed rules, it and with one foot advanced, put under 

 it a guinea, and a halfpenny under the other, and the rod 

 will be drawn down forward* : if the pieces of money be 

 ihifted, it will ilill be attracted towards the gold, i.e. towards 

 the face; which proves thai the gold poffelfes the ftronger at- 

 traction : and, by thus varying all the forementioned fub- 

 itances, the itrength of their refpective attractions will be 

 found to correfpond with the order in which they are placed. 



According to captain Rebeira, the virtue neceflarily refi- 

 dent in the human body for the difcovery of metals, &c. in 

 the earth by means of the divining rod, is confined to but 

 few perfons; and Agricola very iTirewdly infinuates, that 

 where it does not act, it mutt be owing to fome lingular 

 occult quality in the perfon. Cookworthy and Pryce, how- 

 ever, ailert that Rebeira was miitaken ; for that the virtue, 

 as he calls it, refides in all rods and in all perfons, though 

 not in every rod in the hands of every perfon. Willow and 

 other rods, fay they, not of fruit-bearing trees, that are not 

 attracted in the hands of thofe in which the fruit-bearing 

 rods are attracted, will anfwer in the hands of thofe in which 

 the fruit-bearing rods are not attracted ; fo that all perfons 

 poflefs the virtue. 



If a piece of the fame wood as that of which the rod is 

 compofed be placed under the ami, it will totally deftroy the 

 operation of it, except in the m fiance of water, for which 

 any rod, thev lav, in any hand will anfwer; oriftheleaft 

 animal thread, as filk, or worlied, or hair, be placed on the 

 top of the rod, it will prevent its operation : hut if a piece of 

 the fame animal fubftance, or of the fame Wood as that of 

 which the rod is made, provided the rod does not anfwer, be 

 placed under the arm, it will caufe the rod to operate. If a 

 piece of gold be held in the hand and touching the rod, it 

 will prevent its being attracted by that metal or by copper, 

 for the rod will be repelled towards the face ; or if iron, lead, 

 tin, (ilver, limeltone, bone, or coal, be held in like manner, 

 it will alfo be repelled, and vice verfa. If a perfon with 

 whom the rod does not naturally operate hold a piece of gold 

 in his hand, the rod then anfwers to gold and copper ; and 

 4 thus 



