258 PECULIARITIES IN THE MAGNETISM 
individual fragment of a broken magnetic bar of 
steel becomes a perfect magnet; it appeared to 
me very likely, that instead of employing mecha- 
nical violence to break a bar magnet into several 
smaller ones, the same end might be accomplished 
by the agency of heat; and that a magnetized 
steel bar, heated in various places, might be con- 
verted into as many distinct magnets as there 
were parts of it left in a comparatively cool 
condition. 
106. My first experiment, in this new inquiry, 
was made on a bar magnet about eight inches 
long, one inch broad, and a quarter of an inch 
thick. I re-touched this bar previously to heating 
it, and ascertained the position of its poles, 
which were found to be nearly a quarter of an 
inch from its ends. 
107. One end of this bar was now placed in 
the fire, so as to render more than one-third of 
its length red hot. When the heat seemed to be 
high enough, the bar was withdrawn from the 
fire, and placed with its cold part on a brick. In 
this condition a compass-needle was presented to 
various parts of it, and indicated that the heated 
