of itagnettfmt 13 



communicate to it, might eafily be 

 perfwaded, by this virtue and the re- 

 femblance of colour, that the Iron 

 was turned into Loadftone : espe- 

 cially they being prepoflefs'd with 

 that Ariftotelian Maxim, whence our 

 Author would explain this ftraoge 

 Phenomenon ^ that inter Symbolum ha- 

 bentiafacilis eft tranfmntdtio. 



But, leaving this as a bare conje- 

 cture, we may take notice,that what 

 virtue an oblong piece of Iron may 

 need a long traft of time to acquire, 

 by the help onely of its pofition, may 

 be ip! parted to it in a very ftiort time, 

 by the intervention of fuch a nimble 

 agent, as the fire. As may be often, 

 though not always, , * 159f 



obferved in Tongs, EXP ER. /£« 

 and fuch like Iron 

 Utemfils, that, having been ignited, 

 have been fet to cool, leaning againfb 

 fome wall or other prop, that kept 

 them in an ere&ed pofture, which 

 makes it probable that the great 

 commotion of the parts, made by the 

 vehement heat of the fire, difpofed 

 B the 



