112 Prof. Faraday on some Points of Magnetic Philosophy. 



be one of the paramagnetic or diamagnetic bodies themselves, or 

 whether it be a conductor moving amongst them, either by itself 

 or with them, is always the same. The electric current pro- 

 duced never indicates a change in the direction of the polarity, 

 from that belonging to the first source or seat of the power ; 

 whether it be a magnet, a solenoid, or of any other nature ; the 

 only difference being in the strength of the electric current 

 produced, which difference, is directly referable to the electro- 

 conducting power (3143. 3152. 3163.). If such be the natural 

 truth, how can the two modes of indication ever give opposite 

 results ? If opposite results seem to appeal', and only occa- 

 sionally, is it that mode of induction which gives one consistent 

 result that we should doubt, or that which seems to be incon- 

 sistent with itself ? especially when similar contrary phaenomena 

 in abundance are known to be produced by bodies having 

 like polarity (3316.), and when excellent physical reasons, 

 founded on differential action, offer themselves for their ex- 

 plication. There is sufficient reason to admit, that the mag- 

 netic needle cannot be always a true direct indicator of the 

 amount or the direction of magnetic action (2868. 2870. 3156. 

 3293.). Should we not therefore, in respect of the above phse- 

 nomena, rather conclude, for the time, that the simple and uni- 

 form results of tbe one mode of action, are the true indication ; 

 and that where, in the other mode, the phsenomena are reversed 

 or doubled, a part of them are compound in their nature ? I 

 may, in conclusion, remark, that the effects of motion and those 

 produced in the action of magnetism on light, are never reversed 

 in any case, whatever the medium in which they are observed ; 

 both point to one direction of polarity only, namely, that of the 

 dominant source of magnetism. 



3361. I will bring these imperfect observations to an end, by 

 a very brief statement of what I suppose to be the condition of 

 a magnet ; and by a disclaimer, as to anything like conviction on 

 all points of that which I set forth as a supposition tending to 

 lead to inquiry. Contemplating a bar magnet by itself, I see 

 in it a source of dual power. I believe its dualities are essen- 

 tially related to each other, and cannot exist but by that rela- 

 tion. I think that though related through the magnet by sus- 

 taining power, they are not so related by discharging or inducing 

 power, a power equal in amount to the coercitive or sustaining 

 power. The relation externally appears to me to be through 

 the space around the magnet ; in which space a sphondyloid of 

 power is present consisting of closed curves of magnetic force. 

 That the space is not magnetically dark (3305.) appears to me 

 by this ; that when bodies occupy that space, having like rela- 

 tion by known phaenomena to the power as the space has, as 



