very pmcerful natural Magnet. 273 



was on electricity; both were enthusiasts in this branch of 

 science. And, at their joint representation, the thunder- 

 rod, still on the College steeple here, was erected with a 

 view to its protection from the effects of lightning. 



Magnetism also became the subject of discussion, in the 

 course of which, the Professor desired my father, who at 

 that time lived in the Professor's house as his mechanist, 

 to exhibit some artificial magnets he had just finished. On 

 this occasion Franklin mentioned, on the authority of his 

 friend Washington, that some place in Virginia afforded 

 very fine loadstones, and added, that on his return to 

 America, he would endeavour to procure a specimen and 

 send it to the Professor. 



This was not neglected, for in 1776, the Professor re- 

 ceived the promised mineral, which was probably brought 

 to France by Dr. Franklin, whence he transmitted it to 

 Glasgow as a present from Washington himself. The most 

 promising portion of the mass was selected, and my father 

 then working on his own account, was employed to arm it 

 in the most approved manner ; but, though this was care- 

 fully performed, its power was in no way remarkable. 

 Several smaller portions of the mass were similarly fitted up; 

 these, however, like the principal one, proving almost value- 

 less, the Professor declined making further trials, and 

 finally laid aside all thoughts of the matter. 



Some years afterwards, I think in 1781, my father, 

 casually rummaging a lumber-box which stood under his 

 work-bench, perceived some small fragments of the almost 

 forgotten loadstone surrounded by iron filings and other 

 ferruginous dust, and remarking that one of these frag- 

 ments carried a larger beard of filings than the others, he 

 was thereby induced, at his first leisure, to bestow, what 

 he then thought, a little hopeless labour in grinding it to a 

 proper shape with due regard to its poles. The diminutive 

 iron arms were attached in a temporary manner by means 

 of a thread, when, to his great surprise, its first load, 

 though hastily applied and supposed to be in excess, 

 required sensible force for its removal. 



It now seemed worthy of some additional labour ; the 

 form in regard to polarity was re-examined, and when 

 finished in this respect, the stone, after being weighed, was 



vol. in. T 



