Page:On the Magnet - Gilbert (1900 translation of 1600 work).djvu/218

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For the cusp of a versorium placed in a low latitude does not touch the stone or unite with it, but only inclines toward it. Moreover, when a magnetick body rotates in dipping, the pole of the versorium is not stayed or detained by the pole of the earth or terrella; but it rotates regularly, and does not stop at any point or bound, nor point straight to the pole toward which the centre of the versorium is advancing, unless on the pole itself, and once only between the pole and the æquator; but it dips as it advances, according as the change of position of its centre gives a reason for its inclination in accordance with rules magnetical. The declination of a magnetick needle in water also, as demonstrated in the following pages, is a fixed quantity; the magnetick needle does not descend to the bottom of the vessel, but remains steady in the middle, rotated on its centre according to its due amount of declination. This would not happen, if the earth or its poles by their attraction drew down the end of the magnetick needle, so that it dipped in this way.

ONCERNING the making of an instrument for finding declination, the causes and manner of declination, and the different degrees of rotation in different places, the inclination of the stone, and concerning an instrument indicating by the influence of a stone the degree of declination from any horizon we have already spoken. Then we spoke about needles on the meridian of a stone, and their rotation shown for various latitudes by their rise toward the perpendicular. We must now, however, treat more fully of the causes of the degree of that inclination. Whilst a loadstone and a magnetick iron wire are moved along a meridian from the aequator toward the pole, they rotate toward a round loadstone, as also toward the earth with a circular movement. On a right horizon (just as also on the æquinoctial of