Book VII, chapters 1–9: The wonders of the loadstone

THE SEVENTH BOOK OF Natural Magick: Of the wonders of the Load-stone.

THE PROEME.

WE pass from Jewels to Stones: the chief whereof, and the most admirable is the Load-stone, and in it the Majesty of Nature doth most appear: and I undertake this work the more willingly, because the Ancients left little or nothing of this in writing to posterity. In a few days, not to say hours, when I sought one experiment, others offered themselves, that I collected almost two hundred of principal note; so wonderful is God in all his works. But what wiser and learneder men might find out, let all men judge. I knew at Venice R. M. Paulus the Venetian, that was busied in the same study: he was Provincial of the Order of servants, but now a most worthy Advocate, from whom I not onely confess, that […] gained something, but I glory[…] it, because of all the men I ever saw, I never knew any man more learned, or more ingenious, having obtained the whole body of learning; and is not onely the Splendor and Ornament of Venice or Italy, but of the whole world. I shall begin from the most known experiments, and pass to higher matters, that it may not repent any man of his great study and accurate diligence therein. By these, the longitude of the world may be found out, that is of no small moment for Saylors, and wherein the greatest wits have been employed. And to a friend that is at a far distance from us, and fast shut up in prison, we may relate our minds; which I doubt not may be done by two Mariners Compasses, having the Alphabet writ about them. Upon this depends the principles of perpetual motion, and more admirable things, which I shall here let pass. If the Antients left any thing of it, I shall put that in by the way: I shall mark some false reports of some men, not to detest their pains and industry, but lest any man should follow them in an error, and so errors should be perpetual thereby. I shall begin with the Name.

CHAP. I.

What is the Name of this Stone, the kind of it, and the Countrey where it grows.

PLato in Ione writes, that Empedecles called this stone [non-Latin script], but Lucretius from the countrey Magnesia.

The Greeks do call it Magnes from the place,
For that the Magnets Land it doth embrace.

And the same Plato saith, some call it Heraclius. Theophrastus in his book of Stones calls it [non-Latin script], that is Herculeum, because he found it about the city Heraclea. Others think it denominated from Hercules: for as he conquered and subdued all beasts, and men; so this stone conquers iron, which conquers all things. Nicander thinks the stone so called, and so doth Pliny from him, from one Magnes a shepherd; for it is reported that he found it by his hobnail'd shooes, and his shepherds-crook that it stuck to, when he fed his flocks in Ida, where he was a shepherd. But I think it is called Magnes, as you should say Magnus, onely one letter changed. Others call it Siderites from [non-Latin script], that in Greek signifies iron, and the Latine call it Magnes, Heraclius, and Siderites. Hes[…]hius makes the stone Siderites to be different from Herculeus; for he saith, one hath an iron colour, and the other a silver colour. Also Pliny from Sotacus makes five kinds of it. The Ethiopian, the Magnesian from Magnesia neer Macedonia, as the way lies to the Lake Boebis, on the right hand; the third in Echium of Boeo[…]ia, the fourth about Alexandria at Troaderum; the fifth in Magnesia of Asia. The first difference is, whether it be male or female, the next in the colour: for those that are found in Macedonia and Magnesia, are red and black; but the Boeotian is more red then black: That which is found in Troas is black, and of the female kind, and hath no force therefore. But the worst sort is found in Magnesia, of Asia; it is white, and attracts not iron, and is like a Pumice stone. It is certain, that the bluer they are, the better they are. The Ethiopian is highly commended, and it costs the weight in silver. It is found in Ethiopia at Zimirum; for so is the sandy country called. It is a token of an Ethiopick stone, if it will draw another Loadstone to it. There is also a mountain in Ethiopia, not far off, that produceth a stone called Theamedes, that drives away all iron from it. Dioscorides describes it thus. The best Loadstone is that which easily draws iron, of a bluish colour, thick, and not very weighty. P[…]saurensis makes three sorts of them; one that draws iron, another flesh, another that draws and repels iron; very ignorantly: for the fleshy Loadstone is different from this, and one and the same stone draws & drives iron from it. Marbodeus saith, it grows amongst the Proglodites and Indians. Olaus Magnus reports, that there are mountains of it in the North, and they draw so forcibly, that they have ships made fast to them by great spikers of wood, lest they should draw out the iron nails out of the ships that pass between these rocks of Loadstone. There is an Island between Corsica and Italy, call'd Ilva, commonly Elba, where a Loadstone may be cut forth: but it hath no vertue. It is found in Cantabria in Spain, Bohemia, and manyother places.

CHAP. II.

The natural reason of the Loadstones attraction.

BEcause some have written whole Books, of the reason of the Loadstones attracting of iron: lest I should be tedious, which I purpose not to be, I think fit to pass over other mens opinions, especially, because they depend onely upon words and vain cavils, that Philosophers cannot receive them; and I shall set down my own, founded upon some experiments: yet I shall not pass by the opinion of Anaxagoras, set down by Aristotle in his Book De Anima, who by a similitude calls it a living stone, and that therefore it draws iron; and for some other peculiar forces, which might be properly said to proceed from the soul, as you shall see. Epicurus would fain give a reason for it, as Galen and Lucretius report. For, say they, the Atoms that flew out of the iron, and meet in the Loadstone in one figure, so that they easily embrace one the other; these therefore, when they light upon both the concretes of the stone and iron, and then flie back into the middle, by the way they are turned between themselves, and do withall draw the iron with them. Galen inveighs against this; for he cannot believe, as he saith, that the small atoms that flie from the stone, can be complicated with the like atoms that come from the iron, and that their embracing can draw such a heavy weight. Moreover, if you put another iron to that which hangs, that will fasten also, and another to that, and so a third and fourth: & the atoms that result from the stone, when they meet with the iron, they flie back, and are the cause that the iron hangs: and it is not possible that those atoms should penetrate the iron, & through the empty pores should rebound unto the former atoms, and embrace others, whereas he saw five iron instruments hang one by the other. And if the atoms be diffused straight forward through the iron, why then do other iron nails stick, fastned but on the sides? for the vertue of it is spread every way: Wherefore if a very little Loadstone should touch many small bodies of iron, and these others, and those others again, and the Loadstone must fill them all; that small stone would even be consumed into atoms. But I think the Loadstone, is a mixture of stone and iron, as an iron stone, or a stone of iron. Yet do not think the stone is so changed into iron, as to lose its own Nature, nor that the iron is so drowned in the stone, but it preserves it self; and whilst one labours to get the victory of the other, the attraction is made by the combat between them. In that body, there is more of the stone, then of iron; and therefore the iron, that it may not be subdued by the stone, desires the force and company of iron; that being not able to resist alone, it may be able by more help to defend it self. For all creatures defend their being: Wherefore, that it may enjoy friendly help, and not lose its own perfection, it willingly draws iron to it, or iron comes willingly to that. The Loadstone draws not stones, because it wants them not, for there is stone enough in the body of it; and if one Loadstone draw another, it is not for the stone, but for the iron that is in it. What I said, depends on these Arguments. The pits of Loadstone are where the veins of iron are: these are described by Galen, and such as deal in Minerals, and in the confines of them both; of the stone and the iron they grow, and the Loadstones are seen, wherein there is more stone, and others in which there is more iron. In Germany a Loadstone is digged forth, out of which they draw the best iron; and the Loadstone, whilst it lies in the filings of iron, will get more strength; and if it be smeered or neglected, it will lose its forces. I oft saw with great delight a Loadstone wrapt up in burning coles, that sent forth a blue flame, that smelt of brimstone and iron; and that being dissipated, it lost its quality of its soul that was gone, namely, its attractive vertue. It is the stink of iron and brimstone, as such who destroy iron by reducing it to a Calx, or use other Chymical operations, can easily try. And I thought that the same soul, put into another body, must necessarily obtain the same faculty.

CHAP. III.

That the Loadstone hath two opposite Poles, the North and South, and how they may be known.

BEcause the effects of the Loadstone are many and divers, I shall begin to distinguish from the effects of it, that the Readers may receive more benefit and direction. The effects of the Loadstone, are of the stone onely, or of the iron touched with the stone, or of them both, the iron and the stone. The simple effects of the stone, are to draw the stone, to respect the Poles of the world, and such like: also they are mixt and compounded. We say therefore first, that the stone hath two points, that stand opposite one to the other, be it in a great or small stone, which we call the Poles: one of them is directed to the North, the other to the South: For if the stone be at liberty, and hangs that it may play, without any impediments from its weight, one part turns freely to the North, and the contrary part to the South. The way to try it is thus: Take a little piece of Cork, or Fennel gigant, or some other light wood, and make it like a Boat, that it may serve to bear up the weight of the stone. Put the stone into this vessel, that it may be equi-distant from the bottom. Put the Boat into a vessel full of water, that it may move here and there, and find no impediment; let it so alone, and the Boat will never rest, until the point of the stone stand full North, and the opposite point full South. When the Boat stands still, turn it about twice or thrice with your finger, and so it will come again to rest, and return to the same posture; and this shall make you more certain of the North and South Poles of it. There are many more ways to prove it, for letting it hang equally, as in the Mariners Compass; for where it can move of it self freely, it still directs to the same points: and you may do the same if you hang it by a small thread. Hence we may easily learn,

To know which Loadstone is the more perfect.

Which a man may easily do by the former trial, and find out what Loadstone is void of vertue, or most forcible. For that Loadstone that doth soonest bring about the Boat to the points, and having found the north Pole, stands still, is certainly the most forcible stone. But that which slowly works, and comes softly about to its place, and stops oft, is more weak and feeble. Also we may be certified another way: for that which can turn about the greater piece of wood, or boat, not slowly, but quickly, is the best stone. And though there be more ways to try it, yet let these suffice at present: we shall speak of the rest in other places.

CHAP. IV.

The force of the stone is sent by a right line from North to South, through the length of it.

BUt the two points we speak of, are the end of the right line, running through the middle of the stone from North to South; if any man break the stone, and break this line, those ends of the division will presently be of another property and vertue, and will be enemies one to the other: which is a great wonder: for these two points, when they were joined together, had the same force of turning to the pole; but now being parted asunder, one will turn to the North, the other to the South, keeping the same posture and position they had in the Mine where they were bred: and the same happens in the least bits that are seen in the greatest load-stone.

[Figure]

For example: let the rock of Load-stone be ABCD, and let the line from North to South be AB: if we shall cut the stone AB out of the rock, the very line AB in the stone will represent the polar line from North to South. But if we break the stone broad-wayes, every little piece will keep its line. Cut the stone AB broad-ways, as CF, there will be two stones; ACD, and EFB: I say, the stones cut through the line CD, each of them will have its poles of the world. In the stone AGD, the North-pole will be A, the South G. In the stone EFB, the North will be H, the South B; and that is beyond all admiration, that the points GH whilst the stone was but one, were but one: as being agreed together, they had the same forces; but when the stone is divided, each part will hold its vertue, and be quite contrary and at enmity: for G alwayes turns to the South, and H to the North, and every bit will have its poles: and if you fit the divided stones with boats, A and H will turn to the North, G and B to the South: and the same will fall out, if you divide AG and HB into many small pieces; and if you afterwards join all these pieces together as they were, their mutual discord of nature will be presently reconciled. Wherefore Cardanus said false, that the Load-stone draws where it hath but a thin cover, and more in one part then another: for it attracts onely from one certain point, as it had its position before in the mines.

CHAP. V.

That the polar line in the Loadstone is not stable, but moveable.

BUt the like wonder of nature cannot but be admired amongst many that God hath made, and therefore I would have no man ignorant thereof. This polar line spoken of, is not alwayes certain in the same place, nor doth it stand alwayes firm; but changes, and takes the contrary positions: but this is constant in it, that it alwayes runs through the middle of the stone, like a King that hath alwayes his Court or fort in the midst of his Country: for consisting in the centre from whence the extream parts are as it were the circumference, it can easily send its forces to all parts, and defend it self. But an example shall clear this.

[Figure]

Let the stone be AECF, and let the line AC running through the length of it, be the polar line we speak of, wherein the force of it resides, which runs from the North to the South-pole; I say, if you divide the stone in two pieces by the line AC, that one piece may be AED, the other BCF, if they be taken asunder, that the force of it doth not reside in the extream part of the line AD or BC; but being divided in the middle, the force is received in the middle of each stone, and in the stone AED, it will be GH, and in BCF, it will be IL: which cannot be spoken without admiration, that in a dead stone there should be a living vertue to move it self: who is there, unless he try it, that will believe these things? For as the line that stretcheth from North to South was in the prime, so if you divide the stone into a thousand parts, that force is sent into all those parts, each of them holding its own line in the middle of it; so if we shall divide the part AED into other parts, and shall part the smallest of them, what part soever is parted from its confines, it will have that same lively force running long-ways through the middle of it: and so it will be, if you divide the stone into the smallest sand: but the greater wonder is, that if you joit all the parts together again as they were at first, they will all have the same force united, and that will retire into the middle of the stone.

CHAP. VI.

That the force of North and South is vigorous in the points.

BUt what is more wonderful? Though the force retreats to the middle of the stone, yet it doth not send it self forth by the middle, but by the extream parts of the stone, and lies still in the middle, as if it were asleep; but it is awake in the end, and there it comes forth: But if a man break the stone, he shall see it more perfectly. I shall give an example for such that are curious, to search out the vertue of the Load-stone.

[Figure]

Let the Load-stone be AB, and A the North pole, B the South; I say that in AB the end of the stone, the force is greater, and in the middle of the line ILN, it is more weak and drowsie, unless there be any vertue unknown in the right and left side CD: but the neerer it is to the North or South, the more it augments; but the farther off it is, the more it faints. Break the stone in C and G, wherein there lay hid a vertue unperceived, but it will appear when the stone is broken, and shew its properties, and one point will shew forth the North, the other the South. And if these things seem superfluous, yet are they necessary, as the grounds of what I must say.

CHAP. VII.

That by the touching of other stones, those points will not change their forces.

ANd because I said that the Load-stone doth not always hold its forces equal, but that one stone is more powerful in operation then another, for some are faint and weak; I shall put the first question, whether by rubbing and touching the weaker stones with the stronger, those forces will be changed, or stay as they were; as, if a Load-stone is sluggish in pointing out the pole, whether in a stronger stone rubbed with the North point upon the North point of the weaker, can help it at all; or if we shall rub the South point of the other on the North point of this, whether the North point rubbed on will be gone and become the South point, or continue in its former vertue? Where we have not reason to direct us, experience shall prove it. For let a Loadstone be of what forces and properties it may be, by rubbing it against a Loadstone of less vertue, it will never lose any thing, but continues immutable; and being left at liberty in its boat, it will turn voluntarily to its own pole, and decline the contrary part. And though we cannot find the cause of it, yet it seems not against reason; I say, that in stones of the same kind, the greater stones have the greatest forces; and when one Loadstone i[…] rubbed against another, it will leave certain hairs, which are but the bruised small parts of the stone, that stick like hairs, and these are they that lend force to iron and other things to attract, and to turn to the pole; but if the stone that is rubbed and receives it be greater then those hairs, it can never be that the gre[…]ter vertue should be conquered by the less, alwayes the stones being of the same kind, since the hairs have as it were no proportion to the magnitude of it. And as the hairs to the stones magnitude are insensible, so it is impossible that they can wrest the force of it to the contrary pole.

CHAP. VIII.

That a Loadstone will draw a Loadstone, and drive it from it.

I Shall speak of the other operation of it, which is of its attracting and repelling. This is both admirable, and delightsome to behold with our eyes, and to consider in our mind, that the part of one Loadstone should so carefully search out another, allure and attract it, to enjoy its company, and to foster it in its bosom and again, another should be such an enemy to it, that they are at mutual discord, so that putting their contrary ends together, the one will be so contrary to the other, and hate as it were the force of it, that it will turn the contrary way: namely, the North part of the one doth not indifferently draw any part of every other stone, but a distinct and certain part, nor doth it drive every part from it, but that part it naturally abhors, and cannot endure, as being contrary unto it. The North part of the one will draw the South part o[…] the other, and drive away from it the North part of the same; and the South part of this is not an enemy to the North part of the other, but to the South part of it. The same will appear better by an example.

[Figure]

Let there be two stones ACD, and EBF: in the first stone let A be the North pole, and the point G the South; in the stone EFB let the North part be H, the South B: I say, if you put the South part G. of the stone CAD, to the South part B, of the stone EFB, it will presently drive it from it; and the same will happen if you put the North pole A to the North pole G Again, if you shew the North point A to the South point H, or the South point B to the North point A, as being mutually agreed, it will draw the part to it that is not against it. The reason of it I know; for since that the South part G, had formerly been fast to the North part H, when the parts are divided they alwayes seek to unite again, to preserve the same body, as Philosophers say. But if the South point G had been fast with the South point B of another stone, B[…]flies off presently, and departs from it; or if you shew the North point A, to the North point H, the same will come to pass: for they refuse one the other, because they did not so stand in their Mine. Here I shall confute the error of Pliny, and of his followers, who think that no other Loadstone hath this vertue but the stone of Ethiopia; but it is common to all Loadstones. Also, it is a sign, saith he, of the Ethiopian stone, because that will draw another whole Loadstone to it. Also Cardanus falsly affirms that one Loadstone will not draw another; but it will draw it, because the iron is concealed in it that it had first drank in. In brief, the poles that are unlike, will join together, by reason of the similitude of their substance, and likeness of inclination; but the poles that are the same, by a contrary inclination are at enmity: that is, the North point seeks the South point, and the South the North point; so shall the South and North points reject South and North points. Yet we must tell you by the way, that when we try the stones, let them not be both great and vast stones, that being hindered by their weights cannot perform their office: but let one be great, and the other small; or both small, that they may be mutually repulsed or drawn on. The trial is easie, if they be hanged by a thread, or put into their boats, or if they play equally balanced upon the needle.

CHAP. IX.

A sport of the Loadstone.

I Will not pass by a merry conceit of the Loadstone, that I have oft-times made my friends sport with, for the good of those that are curious in the search of the reasons of things. How in a short time two kinds of sands mingled, and said on a heap, may be parted one from the other very suddenly: for the standers by, that cannot sound the reason of it will, think it impossible. The trick is this: Pown a Loadstone into very fine sand, and put some white sand, or some other sand together with it, and mingle them, and make a heap of them: for if you put a Loadstone to it, either uncovered, or covered with linen (that the standers by may not know it) presently the sand of the Loadstone, as in league with it, will run like small hairs joined together, and will stick fast to the stone; which you may brush off and lay aside, then come again, and what is behind will run to the stone, till you have drawn it all out; and it will cause no little wonder, that when the Loadstone comes to the heap, the sands that were mingled should be parted asunder. But the more easily to powder the Loadstone, do thus. Put the Loadstone into an iron morter, lay a blanket or some other soft thing upon it, for it will thus yield to hand-strokes, and presently crumble; if not, you must beat hard on the bottom of the morter, and batter the pestle. Also the same thing befals us in a certain sand that is brought to us out of an iron Mine from Porchys, for it hath the colour and shining that iron hath; and by the proximation of the Loadstone, it is soon parted from the other, to the admiration of those that are present. It may be this experiment was made, because the antients report that the Loadstone will draw iron, sand, oyle, and all things.