t 99 ] 



learned Sir Thomas Browne, in his enquiry concerning vulgar 

 errors*, gravely informs us that he procured two dial plates, ac- 

 cording to diredions, magnetifed the needles, and repeated the 

 experiment in form, but to his infinite difappointment, " the 

 " needles, though but a fpan removed from each other, flood like 

 " the pillars of Hercules :" He then proceeds to confute the 

 theory " of this excellent (and if the effed would but follow) 

 " divine conceit," by (hewing that magnetic needles fhould in- 

 fluence the motions of each other, not in the fame, but in con- 

 trary diredions ; had this been the only difliculty, it had been 

 eafily obviated by reverfing the order of the letters in one of the 

 alphabets. 



Doctor Johnfon, in his life of Browne, laughs at him for 

 having taken the pains to try " fuch a hopelefs experiment," 

 remarking " that he might have fatisfied himfelf by a method 

 " lefs operofe, by thrufting two needles through a cork and 

 " fetting them afloat in two bafons of water ;" but Browne, he 

 obferves, " appears indeed to have been ready to pay labour for 

 " truth." 



The ftory of thefe dials had, I believe, fome foundation, but, 

 as it ufually happens in popular ftories, much fidion has been 

 mingled with fome truth. 



N 2 If 



* Book 2d, page 57. 



