130 THE ORIGIN OP CREATION*. 



Polar current regains its strength, and again drives everything, 

 before it. 



Faraday, in his works, indicated some figures of magnetic 

 curves, which show iron filings to arrange themselves round 

 three centres in a magnet one at either end, and the third in 

 the centre. The central curve could have existed only in his 

 imagination, for the centre of a magnet will not attract even the 

 smallest particle of iron. Maury in his " Geography of the 

 Sea " copies these figures, without ever testing the experiment 

 himself, and in trying to deduce a theory ol wind currents from 

 them, he of course fails. Thus here we have another of those 

 false beacons anchored in the ocean of knowledge, which has 

 lured to destruction, or made shipwreck of in a scientific point 

 of view one of the most eminent men of science America has 

 produced, and that, too, while he was far on the voyage, and at 

 the threshold of discovery. For there are many facts in his 

 book which indicate, that he only wanted to know of the 

 existence of this great magnetic current from the north to the 

 south pole, to make everything clear to him. But an unques- 

 tioning faith betrayed him. Faith although essential in reli- 

 gion, is often as the wrecker's light on the rock-bound shore, or 

 the phantom mirage of the desert, to him who trusts in fallible 

 man. 



A curious idea seems to be prevalent, and it is strongly 

 supported by Maury, that all storms are cyclonic, or circular in 

 movement that is, the winds all blow round a centre. Such 

 occurrences are very rare indeed, and then whirlpools, and 

 waterspouts, are the result. In most of the instances mentioned 

 of these storms, they are traceable directly to a centre, but not 

 round one. 



