NOVUM ORGANUM 449 



tinguish them, for there are four distinct powers or effects of 

 the magnet which should not be confounded, although the won- 

 der and astonishment of mankind has classed them together. 

 i. The attraction of the magnet to the magnet, or of iron to the 

 magnet, or of magnetized iron to iron. 2. Its polarity towards 

 the north and south, and its variation. 3. Its penetration 

 through gold, glass, stone, and all other substances. 4. The 

 communication of power from the mineral to iron, and from 

 iron to iron, without any communication of the substances. 

 Here, however, we only speak of the first. There is also a sin- 

 gular motion of attraction between quicksilver and gold, so 

 that the gold attracts quicksilver even when made use of in 

 ointment ; and those who work surrounded by the vapors of 

 quicksilver, are wont to hold a piece of gold in their mouths, 

 to collect the exhalations, which would otherwise attack their 

 heads and bones, and this piece soon grows white. Let this 

 suffice for the motion of lesser congregation. 



Let the ninth be the magnetic motion, which, although of the 

 nature of that last mentioned, yet, when operating at great 

 distances, and on great masses, deserves a separate inquiry, 

 especially if it neither begin in contact, as most motions of con- 

 gregation do, nor end by bringing the substances into contact, 

 as all do, but only raise them, and make them swell without any 

 further effect. For if the moon raise the waters, or cause moist 

 substances to swell, or, if the starry sphere attract the planets 

 towards their apogees, or the sun confine the planets Mercury 

 and Venus to within a certain distance of his mass ; these mo- 

 tions do not appear capable of being classed under either of 

 those of congregation, but to be, as it were, intermediately and 

 imperfectly congregative, and thus to form a distinct species. 



Let the tenth motion be that of avoidance, or that which is 

 opposed to the motion of lesser congregation, by which bodies, 

 with a kind of antipathy, avoid and disperse, and separate them- 

 selves from, or refuse to unite themselves with others of a hos- 

 tile nature. For although this may sometimes appear to be an 

 accidental motion, necessarily attendant upon that of the lesser 

 congregation, because the homogeneous parts cannot unite, 

 unless the heterogeneous be first removed and excluded, yet it 

 is still to be classed separately, and considered as a distinct 

 species, because, in many cases, the desire of avoidance appears 

 to be more marked than that of union. 



It is very conspicuous in the excrements of animals, nor 

 less, perhaps, in objects odious to particular senses, especially 

 the smell and taste ; for a fetid smell is rejected by the nose, so 

 as to produce a sympathetic motion of expulsion at the mouth 

 of the stomach ; a bitter and rough taste is rejected by the 

 palate or throat, so as to produce a sympathetic concussion and 

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