388 



Sir R. Phillips on Magnetic Phenomena, [June 1 , 



the germination and parts of the two hemispheres may have 



perhaps, add, 



growth of vegelables, and many other 

 phenomena, if it were not dangerous 

 at once to push a new principle too far. 

 At any rate, different strata would pro- 

 duce varied galvanic and magnetic ac- 

 tion ; and, carrying our ideas to Jupiter, 

 Venus, or Mars, wc may easily conceive 

 their opposed hemispheres, or antipodes, 

 to he in contrary states. 



Variations of variations may he re- 

 ferred to the oblique motions of tiie 

 earth producing oblique action, re-ac- 

 tion, and counter-action; to increased 

 and diminished action in various situa- 

 tions ; and to cycles of heat and wea- 

 ther resulting from the obliquity of the 

 planes of the equator and orbit, and 

 the cycles of their motions. 



Here would be no current or fluid 

 iircconcileable with the phenomena; 

 but a silent, appropriate, constant, con- 

 tinuous, and effective action and re-ac- 



thcir peculiar agency. 



Different galvanic arrangements indi- 

 cate all those changes of character, antl 

 intensity in the results, which lead us lo 

 the peculiar atoms affected by magnetic 

 galvanism, and indicate that they are of 

 the smallest or purest kind, and similar 

 to the small atoms which compose light 

 when moved in one manner, and heat 

 when moved in another, and whose che- 

 mical and magnetizing qualities har- 

 monize with the facile passage of the 

 magnetic influence through solids.* 



I wish, however, to avoid details in 

 this communication. It is enough at 

 one time to suggest the principle, and 

 to leave tlie following questions for the 

 consideration of anxious enquirers : 



Whether all these phenomena do not 

 result from the correlative action of 

 atoms which, in different kinds and cir- 

 cumstances, produce acidity and alka- 



tion, such as we know operates in our Unity, electricity, galvanism, &c. &c. 



experiments. We have only to under- Whether the smallest or purest of 



stand the local operation, and get rid those atoms do not, under particular 



of the wild notion of fluids sMig-eHcm, affections, produce the phenomena of 



and then the subject becomes as intelli- heat, light, and magnetism? 



gible as any in philosophy. Whether the larger, or grosser, or 



The motions, actions, and re-actions, combined, do not produce the pheno- 



of both hemispheres, are a counter-ba- niena of electricity and galvanism? 



lance and contrast to each other; and 

 antipodes may be regarded as the op- 

 posed ends of galvanic combinations. 

 At the same time, there must be many 

 poles, interruptions, deflections, and de- 

 grees of ultimate excitement, depending 

 on various materials and circumstances, 

 but serving to create all those varied 

 results which appear in magnetic phe- 

 nomena. 



But galvanic or correlative action 

 does not take place as the mere conse- 

 quence of continuity. There must be a 

 difference in the conducting powers, or 

 in the excitement of one of the ends to 

 produce phenomena. This difference 

 may be created by the vertical position 

 of the sun, sometimes in one hemis- 

 phere, and sometimes in the other ; and 

 to this, in a general way, may be refer- 

 red the original mundan«;, or hemisphe- 

 rical, excitement ; while the resulting 

 general effect, determined by general 



Whether the masses of the earth are 

 not subject to a constant, though varia- 

 ble, galvanic action? 



Whether atmospherical electricity 

 and lightning are not chiefly owing to 

 this mundane galvanism ? 



Whether earthquakes do not palpably 

 arise from it, as proved by the pheno- 

 mena sensible at sea? 



Whether volcanos are not a variety 

 of (he same general cause ? 



Whether the aurora borealis is not 

 an effect of hemispherical restoration ? 



I put these questions; but, before they 

 are correctly answered, it will be neces- 

 sary to understand the nature of elec- 

 tric, galvanic, and magnetic excite- 

 ment, without the aid of the mystical 

 fluids, to whose hocus pocus, and tuill- 

 d'thewisp activity, they have hitherto 

 been assigned. This new theory being 

 conceded, (and, if studied, it will be 

 dilBcult not to concede it,) we then are 



actions and particular re-actions, would no longer puzzled by circulating fluids, 

 be the magnetic equator and poles. and 



Nor do I entirely exclude the difference ^ 



in motion of the two hemispheres arising 

 from the aqueous i*nlk of the southern, 

 and its consequent effect, an elliptical 



* May not the affection through solids 

 proceed by re-action through the adjoininf» 

 earth, aud around the solid ? If so, half 

 orbit, while the contrasted component the magnetic miracle terminates. 



