( xi4i ) 
but be neither attraded nor repelled by the other ^ but ftand 
as it were hefitating whether it had beft fly to, or from that 
Pole of the Loadftone. Only if that Pole of the Magnet 
be too near, then that end of the Wire will conftantly 
fly thereto : As indeed it is the nature of all Magnets and 
Magnetick Bodies to do, when they touch, or approach ve- 
ry near one another, tho they repelled before. 
The Caufe of thefe great Changes in touched Wire pro- 
duced by Splitting, I have fomecimes imagined to arife 
fiomthe Violence exerted thereon by Bending. But ia 
fome Wires that I fplit, or cleft with very little bending, 
one Half hath been utterly changed, the other not. In 
ethers that i cleft, by fufFering the Halves to benS as much 
as they would, no change hath been 5 and fome have quite 
fuflfered change. 
Sometimes I have imagined that the Splitting thie Wires 
in a N. or Si pofition, or that the beginning to fplit at the 
N. or S. end of the Wire firft, might be the caufe of this 
Gontraverfion of the Poles. But tryals fhewed there was 
little in any of this* 
Thus 1 v</ouId have done with Split or Cleft Wires but 
there is one thing very furprizing, which will dcferve to be 
JXientioned, viz. Ih^t the lajing one^ or the other fide of the 
Hdlf Hppermofi, v/iil caufe a great alteration in irs Ten- 
dency, or Averfion to the Poles of the Magnet (as I have 
faid.) But if you lay the contrary fide of that Half upper- 
moft, the lame End (hall be attracted by one, and repelled 
by the other Pole of the Magnet. In other pieces, where 
the Ends are regularly attrafted or repelled, only in an in- 
wrted order (as if new touched, ) it it lay with the round 
fide uppermoft at that time, and be then turned upfi;ie 
down, viz, the flat cleft fide uppermoft^ *tis ten to one if 
one of the Ends be not either attra^ed by both the 
Poles, or repelled by both 5 or elfe attraded or repelled 
by- one, and hefitates as to the other, : For fo it often 
itefaU^«:> ' ' 
The; 
