Loaˊdstone

is digged out of iron mines; the virtues of it are.

1. That when it is in a free position, without any thing to hinder it, it will direct it self to the poles of the world.

2. It will draw another loadstone to itself, and sometimes also will repel it.

3. By being touch’d with iron, it communicates to it not only the virtue, which it self has of pointing to the poles of the world, but also that virtue by which it attracts iron; so that ten or a dozen needles, or as many buckles, may be made to hang together like a chain.

A Loadstone being made thoroughly hot in the fire, loses its attractive virtue.

Some Authors write, that by the help of the magnet or loadstone, persons may communicate their minds to a friend at a great distance; as suppose one to be at London, and the other at Paris, if each of them have a circular alphabet, like the dial-plate of a clock, and a needle touched with one magnet, then at the same time that the needle at London was moved, that at Paris would move in like manner, provided each party had secret notes for dividing words, and the observation was made at a set hour, either of the day or of the night; and when one party would inform the other of any matter, he is to move the needle to those letters that will form the words, that will declare what he would have the other know, and the other needle will move in the same manner. This may be done reciprocally.