14 DR. FARADAY’S EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCHES IN ELECTRICITY. (SERIES XXII.) 
tions, but all appeared as if they were moving in a thick fluid, and were, in that 
respect, utterly unlike bismuth, in the freedom and mobility with which it vibrated 
(2459.). 
2513. In the next place, when the crystals were so suspended as to have the mag- 
necrystallic axis vertical, there was no pointing nor any other signs of magnecrystallic 
force ; but other appearances presented themselves. For, if the crystalline mass was 
revolving when the magnetic force was excited, it suddenly stopped, and was caught 
in a position which might, as was found by experience, be any position ; but if the 
greatest length was out of the axial or equatorial position, the arrest was followed by 
a revulsive motion on the discontinuance of the electric current (2315.). This revul- 
sive motion was never great, but was most when the length of the mass formed about 
an angle of 45° with the axis of the magnetic field. 
2514. On further examination it appeared that this arresting and revulsive effect 
was precisely the same in kind as that observed on a former occasion with copper and 
other metals (2309.), and due to the same cause, namely, the production of circular 
electric currents in the metal under the inductive force of the magnet. Now, the 
reason appeared why, in the former case, the crystals of antimony did not oscillate 
(2512.) ; and why, also, they went up to their position of rest with a dead set ; for the 
currents produced by the motion are just those which tend to stop the motion 
(2329.)* ; and though the magnecrystallic force was sufficient to make the crystal 
move and point, yet the very motion so produced generated the current which reacted 
upon the tendency to motion, and so caused the mass to advance towards its position 
of rest as if it moved in a thick fluid. 
2515. Having this additional knowledge respecting the arrest and revulsion of the 
antimony (effects dependent upon its superior conducting power, in this compact 
crystalline state, as compared with bismuth), one has no difficulty in identifying the 
magnecrystallic force of this metal with that of the former, and the correspondence 
of the results in all essential characters and particulars. In most of the pieces of 
crystals of antimony the force seemed less than in bismuth, but the fact may not 
really be so, for the inductive current action just described, tends to hide the mag- 
necrystallic phenomena. 
2516. Different pieces of antimony also seem to differ from each other in their 
setting force, and also in their tendency to exhibit revulsive effects ; but these dif- 
ferences are either only apparent, or may easily be explained. The arresting and 
revulsive action depends much upon the continuity of the mass, so that one large 
piece shows it much better than several small pieces, and these again better than a 
* Any one who wishes to form a sufScient idea of the arresting powers of these induced currents, should 
take a lump of solid copper, approaching to the cubical or globular form, weighing from a quarter to half a 
pound ; should suspend it by a long thread, give it a rapid rotation, and then introduce it, spinning, into the 
magnetic field of the electro-magnet ; he will find its motion to be instantly stopped ; and if he further tries to 
spin it, whilst in the field, will find it impossible to do so. 
