Bibliographical history of electricity & magnetism : chronologically arranged / Researches into the domain of the early sciences, especially from the period of the revival of scholasticism, with biographical and other accounts of the most distinguished natural philosophers throughout the middle ages, comp. by Paul Fleury Mottelay ; with introduction by the late Prof. Silvanus P. Thompson and foreword by Sir R.T. Glazebrook.

Paul Fleury Mottelay

Date:: 1922

Credit: Bibliographical history of electricity & magnetism : chronologically arranged / Researches into the domain of the early sciences, especially from the period of the revival of scholasticism, with biographical and other accounts of the most distinguished natural philosophers throughout the middle ages, comp. by Paul Fleury Mottelay ; with introduction by the late Prof. Silvanus P. Thompson and foreword by Sir R.T. Glazebrook. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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allusion is made to a loadstone found in Devonshire, weighing about sixty pounds, which moved a needle nine feet distant. Grew then refers to Athan. Kircher and to Vincent Leotaud as having pub¬ lished what is said of the loadstone by Gilbert and others, and he likewise states : “ Those that travail through the vast deserts of Arabia, have also a needle and a compass whereby they direct themselves in their way, as Mariners at sea [Majoli, ‘ Colloquia ’]; the power of the magnet dependeth not upon its bulk—the smaller being usually the stronger. . . .” References.—Phil. Trans, for, 1729-1730, No. 412, Vol. XXXVI. p. 245, and for July 1888, also Hutton’s abridgments, Vol. VII. p. 383 ; V. T. M. Van der Willigen, “ Arch, du Musee Teyler,” 1878, Vol. IV; Jacobi Rohaulti, “ Physica,” 1718, Part III. cap. 8, p. 403, or the English translation by Dr. Clarke, 1728, Vol. II. p. 181; P. W. Hacker, “ Zur theorie des magnetismus,” Nurnberg, 1856; Ath. Kircher, “ Mag- nes. . . /’ 1643, lib. i. part ii. p. 63; Daniel Bernoulli, “Acta Helvetica,’’ 1758, Vol. III. p. 223; Nic. Cabaeus “ Philosophia Mag- netica,” 1629, lib. iv. cap. 42, p. 407; Kenelme Digby, “ The Nature of Bodies,’’ 1645, Chap. XXII. p. 243; “Diet, of Nat. Biog ,’’ Vol. XXIV. p. 185. A.D. 1729-1730.—Savery (Servington), English mechanician, succeeds in imparting magnetism to hard steel bars three-fourths of an inch square and sixteen inches long, by fitting one bar with an armature at each end and touching other bars with it whilst held in the magnetic meridian in the line of the inclined needle. It was shown by Savery that his artificial magnets were prefer¬ able to loadstones. The first recorded attempt to make artificial magnets is credited to one John Sellers, believed to be the author of “ The Practical Navigator/’ of which the earliest edition ap¬ peared in 1669, and of “ The Coasting Pilot,” published about 1680. An “ Answer to Some Magnetical Inquiries Proposed in (the pre¬ ceding) No. 23, pp. 423-424,” will be found in Phil. Trans, for 1667, Vol. II. pp. 478-479 and in the following abridgments : Baddam, 1745, Vol. I. p. 86; Hutton, Vol. I. p. 166 (as of No. 26, p. 478); John Lowthorp, Vol. II. p. 601. Reference is likewise made to this invention of Sellers at Vol. I. p. 86 of the “ Memoirs of the Royal Society,” London, 1739, and in a paper by Reaumur, in the “ Memories de TAcademie Franqaise ” for the year 1723. References.—Savery, “ Magnetical Observations and Experi¬ ments,’’ also Phil. Trans., Vol. XXXVI. pp. 295-340; and the following abridgments: Hutton, Vol. VII. p. 400; Reid and Gray, Vol. VI. p. 166; Eames and Martyn, Vol. VI. p. 260; Baddam, 1745, Vol. IX. p. 57; Geo. Adams, “ Essay on Electricity,’’ 1785, p. 451. A.D. 1731.—On the 25th of November the Royal Society were honoured by a visit from the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Lorraine, the last named being enrolled as a member during the

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