322 THE INTELLECTUAL RISE IN ELECTRICITY. 



among the things which work by the universal configura- 

 tion and sympathy of the world by the primitive nature 

 of matter and the seeds of things "by consent with the 

 globe of the earth. " Then, still following, he connects 

 magnetism and gravity, the latter differing only in being 

 by consent "of dense bodies" with the globe of the earth, 

 and the magnetic motion "drawing both the iron to the 

 magnet and heavy bodies to the globe." He recognizes 

 the production of the field of force; "immaterial virtues 

 which pass thnnigh all mediums yet at determinate dis- 

 tances." 2 There is no doubt as to the signification which 

 he attaches to the last phrase, for he asks himself the 

 question "What may be distance?" and answers it almost 

 in Gilbert's words "that which is not inaptly termed, orb 

 of virtue, or activity." 3 



Gilbert's notion of the gradual diminution of the earth's 

 attraction as bodies recede, he expressly affirms, adding 

 that the downward motion "rises from no other appetite 

 of bodies than that of uniting and collecting themselves to 

 the earth (which is a mass of bodies of the same nature 

 with them), and is confined within the orb of its own 

 virtue." 4 His concurrence in Gilbert's idea of the earth's 

 verticity takes the following, even cordial, form : "Now 

 the diligence of Gilbert has discovered for us most truly 

 that all earth and every nature (which we call terrestrial) 

 that is not supple but rigid, and as he himself calls it 

 robust, has a direction or verticity, latent indeed, yet re- 

 vealing itself in many exquisite experiments north and 

 south." 5 And again he agrees with Gilbert, whom he 

 commends as having well observed it, that magnetic repul- 

 sion is not strictly an avoidance, but a conformity or 

 attraction to a more convenient situation. 6 



*Nat. Hist., cent, x, 904, et seq. 2 Nov. Org., B. ii, 37. 



8 De Augmentis, B. iii, iv. 



4 Des. Globi Intellect. Nov. Organum, B. ii, 35. 



6 De Fluxu et Refluxu Maris. 6 Nov. Org., B. ii, 48. 



