The Creation

Page [34]

…Whence also [arise] rarity and the gathering of homogeneous things. On the contrary, cold, which constricts, arises from a motion that is indeed strong and straight, but thick; whence, by blunting rather than penetrating, and consequently not dissolving but constricting. Most cold things are hard or otherwise densified and crowded, like marble, metal, and mercury, because their pores are narrow, through which air or wind passes: whence a refrigerating wind is constricted and collected, exactly as in cities narrow alleys are always accustomed to have the most cold. I add one thing for greater clarity: the impressions of hot and cold differ almost as a puncture made on the same spear by a very sharp point differs from a blow struck by a rough wooden handle to pierce. To enter into other innumerable varieties of the qualities of touch is not for this time, since most arise more from the superficial than the central constitution of things; nevertheless, we have touched upon the sources to be explained below in section 59. Let us pass to the extraordinary or physical motions of bodies, which do not arise from gravity or mechanical principles, insofar as it appears to the sense.

33. These I divide in passing into sympathetic and antipathic. The sympathetic are verticity [the tendency to turn toward a pole] and attraction. The former is in a circular line, the latter in a straight one; the former is toward a certain point of the globe around its center, the latter toward a certain thing: Verticity is not only in the magnet, but in most other things, though in an unequal degree; for some are more pervasive to the aether than others, and their pores are proportioned to its motion…

Page [35]

…born [of that], the magnet and iron above others, on account of a native love of cold and long duration in a mine situated toward the poles. But this love of the North [Boreas] cannot suffice for a direction so constant and so universal unless a universal cause, everywhere present—that is, the circulation of the aether—is added: verticity therefore, or so that [bodies] balanced between the poles of our globe constitute their extremes, seems to happen from the motion of the aether from east to west (see above sections 9, 10): which, since it prohibits the extremes from turning directly or obliquely toward the East or West, there remains consequently the North and South. What particular phenomena, however, offer themselves in this business of verticity, it is foreign to examine given the present brevity.

34. Nevertheless, I cannot omit this, since all consistency or cohesion of bodies must arise from motion; [consistency] of bodies resting as a whole will arise from the motion of the parts, returning into themselves (lest they fly away), that is, circular, or rather by constriction, sometimes elliptical, through the abstract Theory of motion; hence bodies exercise that motion in the way they can most conveniently; they can do so most conveniently in that region where the motion of the aether does not obstruct, therefore toward the poles of the terrestrial globe, because the motion of the aether is not toward the poles, but around the poles. Furthermore, this motion of the parts constitutes its own proper poles for the body, and the antipathies of different poles and of poles affected by poles. The poles of a magnet are so called because [they correspond to] the poles of the earth…

Page [36]

…they correspond to [the poles] of the earth, although the internal motions of the magnet are not in the axis, but rather in the equator[cite: 1]. Because, however, that motion of the parts is not parallel, but occurs in circles intersecting at the pole in the manner of meridians, hence arises a new similarity with the poles of the earth[cite: 1].

Now, let a sphere be rotated, or at least an orbit or a ring, around an axis perpendicular to the horizon, and let it touch at the equator the equator of another similarly rotatable sphere, orbit, or ring; it will impress its own motion upon it, but into the opposite region[cite: 1]. For if the former moves from the east through the north to the west, the latter will move from the east through the south to the west, or from the west through the north to the east[cite: 1].

But what is contrary in regions is not so in motion, for if the spheres or rings are transferred with a changed position while the motion is retained, there will be a convenience in the regions; the motions will obstruct each other because the retained point of one touches the opposite point of the other, for if the opposite of both is taken, the obstacle will cease[cite: 1]. In a magnet, however, as many rings must be imagined as there are meridians—that is, infinite to the sense—all of which intersect at one point of motion or friction[cite: 1]. This is no more difficult than rays of light passing through the same opening without confusion[cite: 1]. Furthermore, by this friction, motion is transferred; and the position which, for example’s sake, suits the northern part, is acquired there as well; and because the circles intersect again at the opposite point of the receiving…[cite: 1]

Page [37]

…point, a position is acquired there as well, which it has in the opposite point from the giving point, namely the southern[cite: 1]. But these things are in friction: otherwise, similar poles repel each other; the reason is that the position of one or the other is preternatural[cite: 1].

Furthermore, in the terrestrial globe itself, it is credible that there are magnetic motions—the more subtle parts of Light rejected by a stronger motion under the Tropics toward the poles through the meridians (which seems not foreign even to the opinion of the most celebrated Kircher)[cite: 1]. Magnet and iron, the genuine offspring of the earth, have received the impression of this motion above all others[cite: 1].

But what is the reason for magnetic inclination, by which a needle shows the elevation of the pole by being raised or depressed?[cite: 1] None other than that any magnet and any needle are to be considered as if rubbed against the pole of the earth, just as iron filings placed upon a magnet incline toward the point closer to the other pole, but rest or vacillate when placed in the middle[cite: 1]. Whence, according to Kircher, once the Lineam ventum [wind line] is passed, the magnetic arc wavers with innumerable oscillations[cite: 1].

But as for what he adds further—that beyond the Line, the needle no longer shows the elevation of the pole with its inclination—this I do not yet sufficiently understand[cite: 1]. The reason for the fact itself must be investigated more thoroughly, so that the cause can be established; since it is certain that the pole of a magnet which looks toward our pole of the earth on this side of the line, also looks toward it across the line, as they say[cite: 1]. But this also is difficult: if the arctic pole of a Terrella [little earth/spherical magnet] is placed upon cork and balanced, [it looks toward] the same meridian everywhere…[cite: 1]

Page [38]

…the terrella [spherical magnet] turns toward the pole of the earth; but in such a way that if the antarctic pole is applied, the point which before was oriental becomes occidental[cite: 1]. It would remain to be tested beyond the [equator] line whether, by the application of the arctic or antarctic [pole], that which is here the oriental point also becomes the oriental point there; just as that also, which seems to depend on the same reasoning, [namely] whether iron hanging perpendicularly for a long time—which they affirm here turns its lower part toward the arctic pole if balanced—would turn that same part toward the antarctic if it hung across the line[cite: 1]. Since these things have not been explored, I think they must be judged by the reasoning found[cite: 1].

However, since there is such a regular and strong motion in a magnet, it is no wonder that the air, which is driven against it by its own gravity, is rejected by it, and through its mediation motion is communicated to the iron, which, being similarly disposed, easily receives the impression[cite: 1]. And this is established not only by a taut string communicating sound through the air to another similarly taut string, but also by that experiment of a glass whose sound has been explored by a pulse: if a similar sound is produced by someone standing nearby, it resonates even without being touched[cite: 1].

Therefore, every action of a magnet upon distant iron will also be a certain insensible friction[cite: 1]. A magnet moves the iron, but why does it move it toward itself, or pull it? Because the iron is filled or perfected by these radiations, as an alkali [is perfected] by a proportioned acid: therefore, to absorb these more and more, it approaches and thus nears the source itself, or the magnet[cite: 1].

Page [39]

35. Therefore, the attraction of iron by a magnet is easily explained, once the traction of Amber [Electricity] is explained; for they differ only in subtlety, whence the attraction of a magnet needs no friction (although it is helped by polishing) and penetrates thick bodies[cite: 1].

Electrical attraction, in my judgment, can be easily explained once the attraction is explained by which smoke attracts fire[cite: 1]. For, as is known even to boys, if a smoking candle is placed under a burning one so that the smoke of the former reaches the flame of the latter, the fire descends through the “stairs,” as it were, of the smoke and relights the recently extinguished candle; which can also be the cause of lightning[cite: 1].

Of this Electrical and smoky attraction, this is the only difference: that the former is felt by its own form, the latter only by its effect[cite: 1]. The descent of fire through smoke seems to occur in the same way as the ascent of water through a pump, or rather the rushing of water or air into an evacuated receiver[cite: 1]. For the smoke, exhausted by too many explosions, seeks to reabsorb what it finds already collected in the fire: for flame is nothing other than ignited smoke, and smoke is like a river of volatile parts (as ash is the sediment of fixed ones) that have been exhausted; whence that [substance] is volatile alkali in soot, but fixed in ash: but of these things [I shall speak] more exquisitely elsewhere[cite: 1].

36. Antipathic motion (I speak of sense and appearance, for if you look at the interiors, there is in bodies neither antipathy nor sympathy) is reaction, by whose most subtle varieties most things in the nature of things are performed…[cite: 1]

Page [40]

…Only two types of reactions were generally known to the ancients: deflagration (to which belongs the battle of fire and water) and fermentation.[cite: 1] But our chemists have not only uncovered that very powerful reaction of gold-producing powder, as well as that of sulfur and nitre mentioned before, but have also detected innumerable others, and they acknowledge that reaction is the most powerful instrument of nature.[cite: 1]

37. From this now arises that “embrace of the white and the red” (or of the male and female) of the ancient chemists; hence the “fighters” of Basil Valentine; hence the chanted three principles of Isaac Hollandus, Brother Basil, and Paracelsus; the Gas, Blas, and Archaeus of Helmont; the Triumviral Humor of Sylvius; the perfect and imperfect of Glauber; the Acid and Alkali of Tachenius; and the acid and salt of Travagini—all of which certainly fall back to the same thing.[cite: 1]

38. Hence that saying of Basil:

What are two, what are three, are reduced to the same one,[cite: 1] Which if you do not grasp, they are all nothing to you.[cite: 1]

But most of these things are proposed so intricately and ambiguously that it has hardly been possible, or not even hardly, to obtain constant definitions of the terms until now.[cite: 1] The most learned Robert Boyle egregiously attacked this variation in his Sceptical Chymist.[cite: 1]

39. Therefore, in truth, there is only the reaction of two things in our globe: of the Exhausted and the Distended, or, to speak with Democritus, of the void and the full…[cite: 1]

Page [41]

…full: and this is the unique origin of all fermentation, all deflagration, all explosion, and every battle between fire and water, acid and alkali, sulfur and nitre.[cite: 1]

40. There is no need to seek the cause for long after our previously established hypotheses.[cite: 1] For in sections 26 and 27, the reason was given as to why compressed air restores itself to liberty with such force; and conversely, why a place exhausted of air reabsorbs it with such impetus.[cite: 1] Since, therefore, water is nothing but a collection of innumerable exhausted bubbles, and fire is a substance entirely distended, they will be broken by being mixed and by their very fall, motion, or gravity colliding; and with the greatest impetus, one will be discharged and the other will absorb.[cite: 1] The same must be said of all other reactions, varying only in the magnitude, multitude, position, and figure of the bubbles, and the quantity of exhaustion and compression as the case may be.[cite: 1]

41. For if the bubbles are evanescent, and (so to speak) aqueous or aerial, as in imperfectly mixed things, no sensible mixture results from the reaction, but all are dispersed.[cite: 1] But if the bubbles are earthy or glassy, a certain new flux is excited by the very heat of the reaction, or a fusion inflated by those insensible “bellows”; and from the fragments of the bursting bubbles, others—but dissimilar ones—are recast, whence arises the birth of a new species and a central mutation of things.[cite: 1]

42. These things are now reconciled without difficulty with the principles of the chemists. For it is known that they…[cite: 1]

Page [42]

…to divide them into nucleus and cortex[cite: 1]. The nucleus consists of those celebrated “Triumvirs”: the cortex of dead earth and phlegm[cite: 1]. The cortex itself is entirely composed of bubbles, as are all sensible bodies, but smaller and more dispersed than those that produce sensible effects[cite: 1]; yet it matures gradually—that is, by certain subtle fusions, whether from the sun or elsewhere—and from many smaller bubbles (which experience teaches also happens in watery things approaching one another) fewer larger ones are made, from which the nucleus arises out of the cortex and is slowly nourished[cite: 1].