Chap. 25.] THE MAGNET. 355 



grounds for hoping that it will never be at a loss for a supply 

 of materials for its gratification. 



CHAP. 25. (16.) THE MAGNET: THREE KKMEDIES 



Upon quitting the marbles to pass on to the other more 

 remarkable stones, who can for a moment doubt that the 

 magnet 17 will be the first to suggest itself? For what, in fact, 

 is there endowed with more marvellous properties than this ? 

 or in which of her departments lias Nature displayed a greater 

 degree of waywardness ? She had given a voice to rocks, as 

 already 18 mentioned, and had enabled them to answer man, or 

 rather, I should say, to throw back his own words in his teeth. 

 AVhat is there in existence more inert than a piece of rigid 

 stone ? And yet, behold ! Nature lias here endowed stone with 

 both sense and hands. AVhat is there more stubborn than 

 hard iron ? Nature has, in this instance, bestowed upon it both 

 feet and intelligence. It allows itself, in fact, to be attracted 

 by the magnet, and, itself a metal which subdues all other ele- 

 ments, it precipitates itself towards the source of an influence 

 at once mysterious and unseen. The moment the metal cotues 

 near it, it springs towards the magnet, and, as it clasps it, 

 is Wld fast in the magnet's embraces. Hence it is that this 

 stone is sometimes known by the name of " sideritis ;" 19 another 

 name given to it being " heraclion." 20 It received its name 

 " magnes," Nicander informs us, from the person who was the 

 first to discover it, upon Ida. 21 It is found, too, in various 

 other countries, as in Spain, for example. Magnes, it is said, 

 made this discovery, when, upon taking his herds to pasture, 

 he found that the nails of his shoes and the iron ferrel of his 

 Btaif adhered to the ground. 



Sotacus* 2 describes live 23 different kinds of magnet ; the 

 ..-Ethiopian magnet ; that of ^lagnesia, a country which borders 



17 "Magics." ls In Chapter 23 of this Dock. 



19 "Iron rarth ;" from <rif//pof, *'inm." The magnet, or loadstone 

 itself, is an oxide of iron, known ns Oxidulated iron, or Ferroso-ferric 

 oxide; some-times in combination with quartz or altiminc. 



'*'" From jlt-raclm, in Lydia, or in Tlussaly, according to some ac- 

 counts. It in not improbable, however, that it was so called mVr He- 

 racles," or Hercules, on account of it.s powerful influence upon iron ores. 



21 Isidorufi says, * India," in 15. 1G of the "Orisrincs." 



22 See the list of authors at the end of this liook. 



23 Varieties, no doubt, of oxide of iroii. 



