146 
pose then that magnetical particles of matter are a necessary con- 
stituent part of that metal which we call iron, though they are 
probably but a small proportion of the whole mass. These mag- 
netical particles, I suppose, have each a north and asouth pole, and 
that they retain their polarity however the metal may be fused or 
otherwise wrought. In a piece of iron which shows no signs of 
magnetism, these magnetical particles lie irregularly with their poles 
pointing in all possible directions; they therefore mutually destroy 
each other’s effects. By giving magnetism to a piece of iron we do 
nothing more than arrange these particles, and when this is done 
it depends on the temper and situation of the iron whether that 
arrangement shall continue, that is whether the piece of metal shall 
remain for a long time magnetical or not..... By applying 
a magnet to a piece of iron,’’ he continues, ‘‘ it becomes mag- 
netical ; for the magnet acting strongly on the above- mentioned par- 
ticles, that action arranges them properly ; overcoming the resistance 
of the surrounding parts of the iron, and this resistance afterwards 
serves to secure them in their proper situations and prevents their 
being deranged by any little accident.’’ Moreover, ‘‘ iron or soft 
steel receives magnetism more easily than hardened steel, but will 
not retain it. May not this be,’’ he suggests, ‘‘ because the magneti- 
cal particles are not so closely confined in soft as in hardened steel, 
and on that account more easily admit of arrangement or derange- 
ment?’’ In one of his experiments, Rittenhouse took a soft steel 
ramrod, having no sign of magnetism, and, holding it in the line 
of the dip, struck it on one end with a hammer. The lower end 
became a north pole, and when laid on a watch crystal ‘‘it 
traversed very well.’? ‘ From all this,’’ he reasons, ‘‘ does it not 
seem very probable that during the concussion of the stroke and 
whilst the magnetical particles of the rod were most disengaged 
from the surrounding matter, the active power above mentioned 
seized them and arranged them properly, where being confined, the 
rod afterward remained magnetical.’’ With reference to this 
“active power,’’ he says in a footnote: ‘‘ There is some power, 
whencesoever derived, diffused through every part of space which 
we have access to, which acts on these magnetical particles, impelling 
one of their poles in a certain direction with respect to the earth, 
and the other pole in the opposite direction. The direction in 
which this power acts I take to be the same with that of the dip- 
ping needle.’’ | 
