334 Mr. Hatchett’s Analysis 
of carbon, by which it is rendered hard and brittle, or, in other 
words, is, converted into steel,) so, in like manner, does sulphur 
seem to act ; for it has been proved, by the preceding experi- 
ments, that the brittle mass formed by the union of a certain 
proportion of this substance with iron, whether by nature or by 
art, becomes capable of retaining the magnetic virtue, and of 
acting as a complete magnet. 
This remarkable coincidence, in the effects produced on iron 
by carbon and sulphur, induced me to try the effects of phos- 
phorus ; and my hope of success was increased by the remark 
of Mr. Pelletier, who says, that “ the phosphuret of iron is 
attracted by the magnet;”* and therefore, although certain 
bodies may be thus attracted, without being capable of actually 
becoming permanent magnets, I was desirous to examine what 
might be the power, in this respect, of phosphuret of iron. 
I therefore prepared a quantity of phosphuret of iron, in the 
direct way, viz. by adding phosphorus, cut into small pieces, to 
fine iron wire made moderately red-hot in a crucible.. The usual 
phenomena took place, such as the brilliant white flame, and the 
rapid melting of the iron, which, when cold, was white, with a 
striated grain, extremely brittle, hard, and completely converted 
into a phosphuret. The fragments of this were powerfully 
attracted by a magnet ; and, after I had placed two or three of 
the largest pieces, during a few hours, between magnetical bars, 
I had the pleasure to find that these had become powerful 
magnets, which not only attracted or repelled the needle com- 
pletely round, but were able to take up iron filings, and small 
* “ Le Phosphure de Fer est attirable a l’aimant.” Anhales de Chimie, Toms 
XIII. p. 114. 
