striking measure of ‘its force ; and it is probable that when its na- 
ture is more intimately known to us, other effects produced by it 
and other indicators and measurers of its powers; than those so 
imperfectly made known in this paper, will come to our knowl- 
edge ; and perhaps even new classes of phenomena will serve to 
make it manifest and indicate its operation. It is very-striking 
to observe the feeble condition of a helix when alone, and the 
astonishing force which, in giving and receiving, it manifests by 
association with a piece of soft iron. So also here we may hope 
for some analogous development of this element of power, so 
new as yet to our experience. It cannot for a moment be sup- 
posed, that, being given to natural bodies, it is either superfluous 
‘or insufficient, or unnecessary. It doubtless has its appointed 
office, and that, one which relates to the whole. mass of the 
globe ; and it is probably because of its relation to the whole 
earth, that its amount is necessarily so small (so to speak) in the 
Portions of matter which we handle and subject to experiment. 
And small as it is, how vastly greater is this foree, even in dynam- 
le results;-than the mighty power of gravitation, for instance, 
which binds the whole universe together, when manifested by 
Masses of matter of equal magnitude! ~ ae 
2442. With a full conviction that the uses of this power in 
nature will be developed hereafter, and that they will prove, as 
all other natural results of force do, not merely important but es- 
sential, I will venture a few hasty observations. } | 
2443. Matter cannot thus be affected by the magnetic forces 
without being itself concerned in the phenomenon, and exerting 
mm turn a due amount of influence upon the magnetic force. It 
Tequires mere observation to be satisfied that when a magnet is 
acting upon a piece of soft iron, the iron itself, by the condition 
‘Whiolt its particles assume, carries on the force to distant points, 
8iVing it direction and concentration in a manner most striking. 
‘So also here the condition which the particles of intervening di- 
aMagnetics acquire, may be the very condition which carries on 
and causes the transfer of force through them. In former pa- 
‘Pers* T proposed a theory of electrical induction founded on the 
action of contiguous particles, with which I am now even more 
_ Content than at the time of ‘its proposition’: and I then ventured 
* Philosophical Transactions, 1838, Part I. 
