The Touching of pieces of Iron of divers shapes

Bars of iron, when touched by a loadstone, have one end north, the other south, and in the middle is the limit of verticity, like the æquinoctial circle on the globe of a terrella or on an iron globe. But when an iron ring is rubbed on one side on a *loadstone, then the one pole is on the place that was in contact, whilst the other is at the opposite point; and the magnetick power divides the ring into two parts by a natural distinction which, though not in shape, yet in power and effect is like an æquator. But if a thin straight rod be bent into a ring without any welding or union of the ends, and be touched in the middle by a loadstone, both ends will be of the same verticity. Let a ring be taken which is whole and continuous, and which has been *touched by a loadstone at one place, and let it be divided afterward {130}at the opposite point and straightened out, both ends will also be *of the same verticity, no otherwise than a thin rod touched in the middle or a ring not cohærent at the joint.

CHAP. VI. What seems an Opposing Motion in Magneticks is a proper motion toward unity. Division of a magnetick body. In things magnetical nature always tends to unity, not merely to confluence and agglomeration, but to harmony; in such a way that the rotational and disponent faculty should not be disturbed, as is variously shown in the following example. Let C D be an entire body of some magnetick substance, in which C tends to B, the north of the earth, and D to the south, A. Then[205] divide it in the middle in its æquator, and it will be E that is tending toward A, and F tending toward B. For just as in the undivided body, so in the divided, nature aims at these bodies being united; the end E again joins with F harmoniously and *eagerly and they stick together, but E is never joined to D, nor F to C; for then C must be turned contrary to nature toward A, the south, or D toward B, the north, which is foreign to them and incongruous. Separate the stone in the place where it is cut and turn D round to C; they harmonize and combine excellently. For D is tending to the south, as before, and C to the north; E and F, parts which were cognate in the ore, are now widely separated, for they do not move together on account of material affinity, but they take their motion and inclination from their form. So the ends, whether joined or divided, tend magnetically in the same way to the earth’s poles in the first figure where there is one whole, or divided as in the second figure; and F E in the second figure is a perfect magnetick joined together into one body and C D, just as it was primarily produced in its ore, and F E in its boat, turn in {131}this way to the poles of the earth and are conformed to them. *This harmony of the magnetick form is shown also in the forms of vegetables. Let A B be a twig from a branch of osier or other *tree which sprouts easily. Let A be the upper part, B the lower part toward the root; divide it at C D; I say that the end D, if grafted again to C by the primer’s art, grows to it; just as also if B is grafted to A, they grow together and germinate. But D being grafted on A, or C on B, they are at variance, and never grow into one another, but one of them dies on account of the inverted and inharmonious arrangement, since the vegetative force, which moves in one way, is now impelled in opposite directions.

An analogy in tree grafting.