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DE THOME’S REMARKS ON MAGNETISM. 185
stances as in the least, hence nature, being a motive and modified power, being
mechanical and geometrical, is exactly like herself in each extreme, that is, to-
wards each infinite of smallness or greatness, &c.’ p. 121. The question then is,
whether Swedenborg has proceeded according to these principles ? This ques-
tion all naturalists and geometricians are invited to determine : and when they
have agreed on their determination, which will certainly be in conformity with
what I have advanced, they will unanimously admit, if I am not mistaken, that
the theory of the Swedish author is a true theory of the magnet and of all mag-
netism ; that it proves incontestibly the existence of the magnetic element ; that
it proves further, that the particles of this element being spherical, the tendency
of their motion, in consequence of this form, is either spiral or vOrtical, or cir-
cular; that each of these motions requiring a centre, whenever these particles
meet with a body, which, by the regularity of its pores, the configuration and
the position of its parts, is adapted to their motion, they avail themselves of it,
and form around it a magnetical vortex ; that, consequently, every body which
has such pores, and such a configuration and position of its parts, may become
the centre of such a vortex ; that if this body has an activity of its own, if its
parts are flexible, and if its motion is similar to that of the particles, it will be
so much the more disposed to admit them, &c. &c. ; whence it follows, that
magnetical substances are sujh merely by virtue of the element whose existence
Swedenborg has demonstrated, and thus that the magnetism of bodies depends,
not on their substance, but on their form ;
—a truth which is hinted at by the
learned Alstedius in his excellent Encyclopsedia, printed at Lyons in 1649, in
which, drawing a comparison between electricity and magnetism, he says,
’
Motiones electricce a materia magneticcB vero a forma pendent.^
" To ascertain the influence of the magnetic element on the question of animal
magnetism, suppose we apply the result of the summary view that I have given
of it to the three kingdoms of nature. It will be easy to convince ourselves,
that of these, the mineral kingdom is the least favorable to this element, by rea-
son of its inertness, of the irregularity of its pores, oi its angular forms, and of
the rigidity of its parts : hence, were it not for iron and the loadstone, magnet-
ism would be almost entirely banished from this kingdom. Proceeding to the
vegetable, we may easily perceive, that its more regular pores, its rounder forms
its more flexible parts, the sphere of activity, which results from its organisa-
tion, and from the circulation which takes place within it, ofTer much greater
facilities to the operations of the magnetical fluid. Arriving at the animal king-
dom, which is the quintessence of them all, as being more rich in volatile spi-
rits, and approaching thereby more nearly to elemental nature, and which is
gifted more eminently, according to the perfection of its organs, with the same
advantages which we have just observed in the vegetable kingdom ;
—we find
that this kingdom, by the exalted life of some of its subjects, is clearly the most
active centre that the magnetic element can lay hold of; and as, besides, it pre-
sents it, in the abundance of its fluids, in its circular vessels and veins, and in
its spiral fibres, with nothing but analogous forms, of an extreme flexibility and
capacity of motion, we cannot but conclude, that this is the kingdom which
favors in the highest degree the admission of this element. To avoid exceeding
the limits of your journal, I omit. Gentlemen, an infinity of things which I might
here mention in support of these truths ; amongst which I should include the
13
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