ts ambit deeper into its surface, and is
girt about with a varied and perishable covering, as it were with a veil;
yet out of her womb ariseth in many places an offspring nigher to the more
perfect body and makes its way to the light of day. But the weak and less
vigorous loadstones, enfeebled by the flow of humours, are visible in every
region, in every strath. It is easy to discover a vast quantity of them
everywhere without penetrating mountains or great depths, or encountering
the difficulties and hardships of miners; as we shall prove in the sequel.
And these we shall take pains so to prepare by an easy operation that their
languid and dormant virtue shall be made manifest. It is called by the
Greeks[52] [Greek: heraklios], as by Theophrastus, and [Greek: magnetis];
and [Greek: magnes], as by Euripides, as quoted by Plato in the _Io_: by
Orpheus[53] too [Greek: magneosa], and [Greek: siderites] as though of
iron: by the Latins _magnes_, _Herculeus_; by the French _aimant_[54],
corruptly from _adamant_; by the Spaniards _piedramant_: by the Italians
_calamita_[55]; by the English LOADSTONE and ADAMANT STONE[56], by the
Germans _magness_[57] and _siegelstein_: Among English, French, and
Spaniards it has its common name from adamant; perhaps because they were at
one time misled by the name _sideritis_ being common to both: the magnet is
called [Greek: siderites] from its virtue of attracting iron: the adamant
is called [Greek: siderites] from the brilliancy of polished iron.
Aristotle designates it merely by the name of _the stone_:[58] [Greek:
Eoike de kai thales ex hon apomnemoneuousi, kinetikon ti ten psuchen
hupolabein, eiper ton lithon ephe psuchen echein, hoti ton sideron kinei]:
_De Anima_, Lib. I. The name of magnet is also applied to another stone
differing from siderite, having the appearance of silver; it is like
Amianth in its nature; and since it consists of laminae (like specular
stone)[59], it differs in form: in German _Katzensilber_ and _Talke_[60].

* * * * *

{12} CHAP. III.

The Loadstone has parts distinct in their natural
_power, & poles conspicuous for their property._

The stone itself manifests many qualities which, though known afore this,
yet, not having been well investigated, are to be briefly indicated in the
first place so that students may understand the powers of loadstone and
iron, and not be troubled at the outset through ignorance of reasonings and