Were attraction a property of the atomic substance of the loadstone, it could be neither transferable, receivable, nor liable to be destroyed by fire. A magnet is a work of art, the substance is inert, it can no more attract than think. Magnetism is an accident of matter; it consists in the correlatives of an iron bar having become separated, and drawn one to each end of the bar: separation and transition to the extremities of the bar, are what the rubbing on the poles of the loadstone effects.

Two paving-stones hanging a short distance asunder and touched by nothing but the tranquil air, remain at rest; but should attract each other had "every atom in creation" the property. Were a vacuum, partial vacuum or air much rarer than atmospheric, now placed between the suspended stones, each would be in motion towards the other the same instant. Here both causes, the general pressure, and the minus-pressure, or motion promoting means, are given; the latter are sensibly present, and the absence of attraction is as evident as the inutility of anything of the kind to effect the mutual approach of the two bodies. Not so is the approach of two magnets understood, because the intermediate minus-pressure means present are not sensible. That iron magnets do not move together by attraction, or that attraction is not the cause of the phenomena imputed to it, is proved in the case of iron-filings dropping from a bar, when the connection of the bar with the galvanic battery is broken; and it will not be contended that the galvanic current is attraction.

In order to arrive at a knowledge of wherein consists the means which subvert the equilibrium between two suspended magnets, reference has to be made to the artizan's mode of operating in converting the unmagnetised bar to a magnet. He holds the bar in the middle, and draws one half along the pole of a loadstone; then draws the other half along the other pole, and after a few such alternate rubbings against the poles, the bar is a polarized magnet. From which it was formerly supposed, that iron contains a magnetic fluid which the loadstone rubbings divide, and draw half to each end of the bar. But were such the fact, the ends or poles should be equals, whereas they are magnetic opposites. Now, with more reason, it is considered that iron includes two different, removable elements, (correlatives,) which, by the manipulation on the loadstone, are drawn one to each end of the bar, and there remain as polar atmospheres, and constitute what are termed the polarities, or opposite polarities of the bar; the latter opinion is somewhat confirmed by the corresponding manner in which iron filings, while being scattered on a sheet of paper, become arranged round the poles of a magnet lying under the paper.

The magnetic relation, which the polar atmospheres of any iron magnet bear to those of every iron magnet, being the same as exists between the polar atmospheres of every individual magnet, makes manifest, that a certain pair of correlative elements is common to all magnetisable iron; but without concluding that, by the same kind of correlatives, the polarities are produced in bodies not ferruginous, which, if the physical fact, so may the animal correlatives be different in some instances. From which it follows, that no one mesmeriser can affect mesmerically every person, nor any one person be so affected by all mesmerisers. Neither are all persons "nervous" alike, which should moderate the war cry against mesmerism generally because of failure in some cases; and should awaken the philosophic mesmeriser, willing to make perfect the science, to investigate the cause of exceptions and difficulties.

Now, as respects the interposed minus-pressure means or matter, which, by destroying the equilibrium, promote the approaching motion of two suspended magnets; there is nothing whatever to refer to, but the magnets themselves, that is, their polar atmospheres, which, together or facing one another, make a rare or minus-pressure medium between the proximate ends, into which both magnets are moved by the greater pressure on their remotest ends. It lies with the previously-instructed patient, while clairvoyant, through questioning by the mesmeriser, to make close observation, and report all circumstances respecting the magnetic lights; also, those attached to and proceeding from the mesmeriser, towards elucidating this most of all recondite subjects—magnetism, in the philosophy of physics. The mesmeriser should hold in mind, that, probably the air between the facing ends of two magnets is magnetically affected, that is, made a magnet in the series by the other two; which seems to be the case when the patient is magnetised at a distance from the mesmeriser by means of the pointed finger, and by the effect of will at a much greater distance.