NOMOS. 123 



with the direction of the currents surrounding the 

 planets and comets, and diminished on the side on 

 which the direction of the currents is not coincident. 

 Nor is this all. On the contrary, it is necessary 

 to suppose that every body in the universe acts and 

 re-acts upon every other body in the same manner ; 

 and that the result is, not simple attraction in the 

 straight lines which connect these bodies, but attrac- 

 tion so directed as to determine orbital and rotatory 

 movements, such as would result if the re-acting 

 bodies had been set in motion by an independent 

 projection in free space, and then left to the action of 

 the force of gravity. 



But what of the force of gravity ? It has been 

 said that this force cannot be analogous to the at- 

 traction of currents of which we have Theat t rac . 

 been speaking, because it operates be- ^"f^J^ 

 tween all bodies indifferently ; whereas real force of 

 the attraction of currents is only manifested 

 under peculiar circumstances, and between few bo- 

 dies. But it is very possible that all bodies may 

 naturally be subject to these currents, and that the 

 only peculiarity of iron, and of the few bodies which 

 are akin to iron in this respect, is in the readiness 

 with which these natural currents are given up for 

 artificial currents, or with which the natural currents 

 are rendered evident. And certain it is, that the 

 whole earth is subject to these currents ; for there is 

 no place where the magnetic needle does not betray 

 the presence, not only of currents, but of cur- 

 rents which pass in the same direction, and which 



