( 31 ? ) 
where I bound It on with Thread when I had ground 
it. The Weight thereof naked was but 3 vij aij Gr. vj ♦ 
its armed South Pole would only lift 3vij 3a GV. iij, 
which was a Key. The not knowing where to get a 
better, made me think of improving what I had. I 
confidered, that fince a larger Stone of the famefpeci- 
fick Vertue would lift more,- it might poffibly commu- 
nicate more Vertue than mine could to the fame Piece of 
Steel, but could not fail of fo doing to a much greater 
Piece 5 and having obferved that touched Steel would 
communicate fome Vertue as well as attract, Igotfome 
Steel Wire (the largeft in the Shop where I could 
meet with any) which having cut into equal Pieces, 
and filed their Ends fo tranfverfly as I could, and very 
plain, I made a Standard with a Plate of Iron, into 
which I could but juft thruft the Ihorteft^ and filing 
all the reft till they would but juft enter the faid 
Standard, I reduced them nicely to the fame Length. 
Then having marked one End of each of them with the 
Edge of a File, I feafoned them very hard, and made 
them,Ends and all, very bright. Each of them meafured 
in Length about ^.74 Inches, and weighed 36 Grains or 
more. I weighed one of them, and they were all of the 
fame Piece of Wire, therefore could not differ much in 
Weight. With my Loadftone I touched 37 of them, 
one by one, making their marked Ends their South 
Poles. I laid them Side by Side at about half an Inch 
Diftance from one another on a Board, with their 
marked Ends toward the fame Edge thereof, and took 
Care that they ftiould not touch one another after 
they came from the Stone, before they were all of them 
touched thereon. Then having Thread and Armour 
made like this ( one Piece marke(i, which 
X' X I ap- 
