ere material rays[144], they hold and take up
chaff, straws, and twigs, until they become extinct or vanish away: and
then they (the corpuscles) being loosed again, attracted by the earth
itself, fall down to the earth. The difference between Magneticks and
Electricks[145] is that all magneticks run together with mutual forces;
electricks only allure; that which is allured is not changed by an
implanted force, but that which has moved up to * them voluntarily rests
upon them by the law of matter. Bodies are borne towards electricks in a
straight line towards the centre of the electrick; a loadstone draws a
loadstone directly at the poles only, in other parts obliquely and
transversely, and in this way also they adhere and hang to one another.
Electrical motion is a motion of aggregation of matter; magnetical motion
is one of disposition and conformation. The globe of the earth is
aggregated and cohaeres by itself electrically. The globe of the earth is
directed and turned magnetically; at the same time also it both cohaeres,
and in order that it may be solid, is in its inmost parts cemented
together.

* * * * *

CHAP. III.

Opinions of others on Magnetick Coition,
_which they call Attraction_.

Discussion having now been made concerning electricks, the causes of
magnetick coition must be set forth. We say coition, not attraction[146].
The word attraction unfortunately crept into magnetick philosophy from the
ignorance of the ancients; for there seems to be force applied where there
is attraction and an imperious violence dominates. For, if ever there is
talk about magnetick attraction, we understand thereby magnetick coition,
or a primary running together. Now in truth it will not be useless here
first briefly to set forth the views given by others, both the ancient {61}
and the more modern writers. Orpheus in his hymns[147] narrates that iron
is attracted by loadstone as the bride to the arms of her espoused.
Epicurus holds that iron is attracted by a loadstone just as straws by
amber; "and," he adds, "the Atoms and indivisible particles which are given
off by the stone and by the iron fit one another in shape; so that they
easily cling to one another; when therefore these solid particles of stone
or of iron strike against one another, then they rebound into space, being
brought against one another by the way, and they draw the iron along with
them." But this cannot be the case in