( *94 ) 
VL An AbflraSl of a Letter, written in Dutch, to 
the illuftrious Royal Society of London, by 
Arnold Marcel ( Nephew to the late Mr. An- 
thony van Leeuvenhoek, F. % S.) Com- 
municated by the <%eV d - Dr. J. T. Defaguliers,, 
F.^S. 
Gentlemen, 
I N the Year 1726 1 had the good Fortune to find out 
aWay to communicate the magnetical Vertue to Iron 
and Steel, without the Help of any Loadftone whatfo- 
ever, and to make that magnetical Vertue as ftrong as if 
it had been done with a very ftrong Loadftone. I have 
kept it fecret ever fince, longing for an Opportunity to 
communicate my faid Difcovery (befides fome further 
Obfervations which I made about the Loadftone) to 
your Honourable Society ; being well allured that that 
illuftrious Society is always uled to give the due Ho- 
nour to the Inventors. I now lately happily came to 
be acquainted with that worthy Member cf your ho- 
nourable Society, Dr .John-Theoph. Defagidiers^\\o 
has promifed me to be fo good as to deliver this to your 
Hands. 
In the Year 1722, I obferved that alongheavy Bar 
of Iron being fet upright, and fomeFilings of Iron, or 
a Bit of Iron Wire, laid upon its upper End, thofe Fi- 
lings or Wire would ftick to another Piece of bright 
pointed Iron, and fuffer itfelf to be lifted up from the 
ilanding Bar even to the Height of five Inches. 
In the Year 1 726, making feveral further Obfervations 
about the magnetical Force, which I found in great 
Pieces- 
