[ 32 ] 
diligence, applied himfelf to the making of philofo- 
phical experiments of various forts, had, among others, 
attempted to convey a confiderable magnetic virtue to 
bars of hardened fteel ; and that having therein fo 
well fucceeded, as to be able to impregnate fuch bars 
with this virtue, to as high a degree at leaf!:, as any 
of the fame weight and dimenfions, which he had yet 
feen or heard of ; and to as high a degree, as he ap- 
prehended the fame bars were, in their prefent flate, 
capable of being impregnated ; he was thereupon 
ready at that time, and prepared, to lay fome ef his 
experiments to this purpofe before the gentlemen 
of the Society, and to fhew them the whole method 
and procefs of his operation : whereby he could, in 
about half an hour’s time, communicate to fix bars 
of hardened fleel, at firft entirely deftitute of any 
magnetic virtue whatfoever, the utmoft virtue they 
were capable of receiving j and that without the me- 
diation or affiftance of any natural loadftone, or of 
any artificial magnet, to which any virtue had be- 
fore purpofely and previoufly been conveyed. 
The prefident then delivered to the fecretary the 
following paper, containing, in Mr. Canton’s own 
words, the whole defcription of his procefs, with the 
directions he had drawn up, whereby any other per- 
fon might readily perform the fame. After which 
Mr. Canton immediately exhibited the main experi- 
ment itfelf, as defcribed in his paper, together with 
fome others : all which fucceeded greatly to the fatif- 
fadtion of the company. But as he feared himfelf, 
that he fhould not be able, by reafon of the concern 
he was under in the prefence of fo many worthy 
perfons, and for whom he had fo great a relpeCt, 
either 
