240. Dr. Faraday on Magnetic and Diamagnetie Action. 
will enter the mind, whether the diamagnetics, when in air, are 
repelled and tend to the equatorial position for any other reason, 
than that the air is more magnetic than they are, and tends. to 
occupy the axial space. It is easy to perceive that if all. bodies 
were magnetic in different degrees, forming one great series from 
end to end, with air in the middle of the series, the effects would 
take place as they do actually occur. Any body from the middle: 
part of the series would. point equatorially in the bodies above it 
and axially in those beneath it; for the matter which, like bis- 
muth, goes froma strong to a weak point of action, may do.so 
only because that substance, which is already at the place of weak 
action, tends to come to the place where the action is strong ; just: 
as in electrival induction. the bodies best fitted to carry on the 
force are drawn into the shortest line of action. And so air in— 
water, or even intestate ee iS, or appears to ies drawn towards 
the magnetic pole. 
2439. But if this were the true view, and, air had south power 
amongst other bodies as to stand in the midst of them, then one 
would be led to expect that rarefaction of the air would affect its 
place, rendering it, perhaps, more diamagnetic, or at.all events al- 
tering its situation in the list. . If such were the case, bodies that 
set equatorially in it in one state of density; would, as it varied, 
change their — and at last set axially: but this they do not 
do ; and whether the rarefied air be. compared with the magnetic 
or the diamagnetic la or even. hareneins ie it ita its 
lace. : 
2440. Such a view also wile ati mere space ining 
and precisely to the same degree as air and gases. Now though 
it may very well be, that space, air and gases, have the same 
general relation to magnetic force, it seems to me a great addi- 
tional assumption to suppose that they are all.absolutely magnet 
ic, and in the midst of a series of bodies, rather than to suppose 
that they are in a normal or zero state. For the. present, there- 
fore, I incline to the former view, and consequently to the optl- 
ion that diamagnetics have a specific action, antithetically dis- 
tinct from ordinary magnetic action, and have thus presented us 
With a magnetic property new to our knowledge. 
2441. The amount of this power in diamagnetic substances 
‘seems to be very small, when estimated by its dynamic effect, 
_ but the motion which it can generate is perhaps not the most 
: ‘ a : 
