pole will be repelled either to the east or west according to the position of the plane of the 
legs. The eastmost leg being united with the positive, and the westmost with the negative side of 
the battery, the nearest pole will be attracted. When the plane of the legs is placed perpendicular 
to the place between the pole and the middle of the needle, the same effects recur but reversed. 

A brass needle, suspended like a magnetic needle, is not moved by the effect of the uniting wire. 
Likewise needles of glass and of gum lac remain unacted on. 

We may now make a few observations towards explaining these phenomena.
The electric conflict acts only on the magnetic particles of matter. All non-magnetic bodies appear 
penetrable by the electric conflict, while magnetic bodies, or rather their magnetic particles, 
resist the passage of this conflict. Hence they can be moved by the impetus of the contending 
powers. 

It is sufficiently evident from the preceding facts that the electric conflict is not confined to 
the conductor, but dispersed pretty widely in the circumjacent space. 

From the preceding facts we may likewise infer that this conflict performs circles ; for without 
this condition it seems impossible that the one part of the uniting wire, when placed below the 
magnetic pole, should drive it towards the east, and when placed above it towards the west ; for it 
is the nature of a circle that the motions in opposite parts should have an opposite direction. 
Besides, a motion in circles, joined with a progressive motion, according to the length of the 
conductor, ought to form a conchoidal or spiral line ; but this,