s. The papers now before me were
objects of daily and nightly study with me eighteen or nineteen years
ago; but even now, though their perusal is but the last of a series of
repetitions, they astonish me. Every circumstance connected with the
subject; every shade of deportment; every variation in the energy of
the action; almost every application which could possibly be made of
magnetism to bring out in detail the character of this new force,
is minutely described. The field is swept clean, and hardly anything
experimental is left for the gleaner. The phenomena, he concludes, are
altogether different from those of magnetism or diamagnetism: they would
appear, in fact, to present to us 'a new force, or a new form of force,
in the molecules of matter,' which, for convenience sake, he designates
by a new word, as 'the magne-crystallic force.'

He looks at the crystal acted upon by the magnet. From its mass he
passes, in idea, to its atoms, and he asks himself whether the power
which can thus seize upon the crystalline molecules, after they have
been fixed in their proper positions by crystallizing force, may
not, when they are free, be able to determine their arrangement? He,
therefore, liberates the atoms by fusing the bismuth. He places the
fused substance between the poles of an electro-magnet, powerfully
excited; but he fails to detect any action. I think it cannot be doubted
that an action is exerted here, that a true cause comes into play; but
its magnitude is not such as sensibly to interfere with the force of
crystallization, which, in comparison with the diamagnetic force, is
enormous. 'Perhaps,' adds Faraday, 'if a longer time were allowed, and
a permanent magnet used, a better result might be obtained. I had built
many hopes upon the process.' This expression, and his writings
abound in such, illustrates what has been already said regarding his
experiments being suggested and guided by his theoretic conceptions. His
mind was full of hopes and hypotheses, but he always brought them to an
experimental test. The record of his planned and executed experiments
would, I doubt not, show a high ratio of hopes disappointed to hopes
fulfilled; but every case of fulfilment abolished all memory of defeat;
disappointment was swallowed up in victory.

After the description of the general character of this new force,
Faraday states with the emphasis here reproduced its mode of
action: 'The law of action appears to be that the