FROM SCRATCH SERIES || CHAPTER 1: वैद्युतकषास्त्र (THE ELECTRICITY महायज्ञ) || PART 3: DR_GIL

 Part 3 || DR_GIL ||

In the 16th century AD, comes into play our OG himself: Dr. William Gilbert(1544-1603). He has put out many scientific works but the one we are most interested in, is his: 

'De Magnete, Magneticisque, Corporibus, et de Magno Magnete Tellure' published: 1600

(Latin: On the magnet and magnetic bodies, and on the great magnet the earth). He mentions how the earth is a giant magnet itself and which is why the compass points north. Previously, it was thought of as something related to the pole-star Polaris, or a large magnetic island on the North Pole (Source: Wikipedia). 

Dr. William Gilbert

Gilbert has originally written this work in Latin. But we will go on to study the English version Translated by: P. Fleury Mottelay.

Biographical Memoir Section

In this section, we find writings about the life of Mr. Gilbert and about the honors bestowed upon him by Queen Victoria(The Virgin Queen). Also is written about his image/reputation or the reception of his works among the contemporary and later scientists and philosophers. For instance, here's what Dr. Thomas Thomson has to write about him: 

Inductive Philosophy: In philosophy, induction is a method of reasoning that uses specific observations to form general conclusions. Another excerpt worth noting: 

Some excerpts from the same biographical memoir section which hold importance in my estimation are: 

This is the first place mentioning the electrical phenomena in the book. Also, this excerpt from the same section notes Gilbert's contribution in shaping Faraday's ideas on magnetism. Well, shaping might or might not be wrong, but here is a resemblance drawn, regardless of what the implications are.

These excerpts are the English translations of the Latin inscriptions at his tomb: 

Note: An interesting fact I found in the book: "Gilbert was never married." 

There was a portrait of his which seems to have been lost with the following description: 

I asked chatGPT to reproduce a portrait based on this description, and here is the result produced by 

Dall-e:

Another excerpt which tells us about him:

Here, also, are some interesting inscriptions about Mr. Gilbert: 

After the Biographical memoir, comes An address by Edward Wright. In here, he presents a word of praise for the works of Dr. William Gilbert, and also alludes to the problems that mariners had to face before the invention of the magnetic compass, and also, to the several nuances associated to the magnetic navigation devices. 

One interesting excerpt from the address is this, wherein Mr. Wright alludes to the argument that the passages in the holy scriptures(most likely of christian tradition) do not, say, or are not in, say, contradiction to the scientific facts discovered via contemporary experiments, as it was not the intention of the prophets to be too precise in the explanation of such matters but merely adapting to the understanding of the common folk. Here's the excerpt: 

After the address, comes the: Author's Preface. These are the first words we encounter coming directly from Dr. Gilbert himself. This is titled: To the candid reader, studious of the magnetic philosophy. He begins with an observation that, in the search for reason and causes of mysterious forces, experiments are much more effective than plain conjectures and philosophies. He also then expressed his opinion that the works that might not hold much significance from the perspective of logic, reason and scientific rigor are celebrated and praised while works of higher significance may be completely ignored, or contemned. he also expresses frustration in a witty and somewhat funny(I find it funny) manner over the fact that his work(his noble work) be left to the judgement of people who are bent upon following the opinions of others and many themselves are ignorant and insignificant in scientific in scientific and philosophical rigor.  To that end, he says, his audience chiefly would be minds truly in search of knowledge. He emphasizes the difficulty of introducing novel ideas in the air of the old/ancient more, say, established and also notes that philosophy is for the few. 

He also mentions how natural philosophy such as this is a new thing and hence, there are no questions in this work of the ancient Greeks. 

Finally, he although expresses despise for those who go about spouting ignorance in quoting the ancients mindlessly, he also recognize with due respect the contribution of the ancient philosophy, and states how he thinks even they would cheerfully adopt these new findings. 

After this preface, comes this section: Explanation of some terms used in this works. I'm not too sure whether or not this is put here by Gilbert himself or the translator. This I attach here as it is. 

Now, we finally begin with the book. The first part:

Book I

Chapter 1

Writings of Ancient and Modern Authors concerning the Lodestone: Various opinions and delusions

I'll call our guy Dr.Gil from now on. So, Dr.Gil starts off alluding to the fact that ancients have written about the attraction of iron by lodestone but only in brief, and nothing else concerning the causes of such attraction. He also alludes to the ignorance that was promulgated by such authors, and the falsehoods that rose in those works.  

One interesting fable that was promulgated was about prophet Muhammad(PBUH)'s tomb. 

He also mentions some instances of attempted explanations on the attraction of iron by lodestone. One such explanation by: Lucretius Carus(an Epicurean poet) is given in this excerpt: 

Note: Epicureanism is a system of philosophy founded in 307 BC by Ancient Greek philosopher: Epicurus: He was an atomist and materialist.

Dr.Gil then shifts attention to the mariners compass and talks about its origins. 

King Solomon(of Judeo) is also mentioned to have been aquatinted with this technology. Dr.Gil also mentions some hilarious fables woven around lodestone. I am attaching them raw here: 

But then he resolves to drive away such ignorance through his demonstrations. 

He, at the end, has a little something to say about those who misuse others' writings in wrong fashion(which Dr.Gil did not care to mention). 

Chapter II

The Lodestone: What it is; Its Discovery

Dr.Gil, in here, begins with a fact concerning the discovery of Lodestone, that its name, Magnet does not come about by: "Pliny's Mythical Herdsman". He refutes and dismisses the tales of a district called Magnesia and the herdsman named Magnes as just fairy tales. Although, then, he goes on to explain its nomenclature and ongoing in different cultures and traditions, I couldn't comprehend a definitive origin story or the etymology of magnets from his writings. 

However I found this footnote helpful in this regard: 

Then he goes on and on about the types of magnets on the basis of color, where they are found, weight of different kinds of magnets. And about those properties possessed by magnets found in different regions of the world. I am not going to pick out excerpts from it, nor am I going to point out stuff in detail as this is too far from our point of focus. But I feel it important to mention that I did read it in full just for the sake of completeness. 

Chapter III

The lodestone possess parts differing in their natural powers, and has poles conspicuous for their properties

Hereon, he gives an account of the properties of lodestones, which he starts off by pointing out the property of poles. He argues that the astronomers give to each moving sphere: two poles in heavens(A statement I fail to comprehend fully).  So he emphasizes the need to assign two poles to our terrestrial globe. He leads for wit to reason for this assignment: 

And following this line of reasoning, he says: 

Now, I'll be picking out excerpts wherein he elucidates several properties of lodestones. 

PS. Please note that because of Dr.Gil's genius work of words, almost everything he's put out is of utmost importance, with every fact more important than the preceding one. But because of the hopefully understandable redundancy of the task of reproducing the entire book in here, I will have to pick out some points out of my insignificant discretion. So here we go: 

After stating these facts, Dr.Gil also presents two experiments to express the validity of the existence of poles and to demonstrate the placement of meridians and equator on the terella, and also to find the location of these poles on the sphere. 

Now I'm not gonna paste the experiments here, refer to the book for that purpose. 

Chapter IV

Which Pole is the North: How the North Pole is distinguished from the South Pole

In here, he gives out a method to differentiate or demarcate the North Pole of the magnet from the South Pole. He does this by the first defining the north and South Pole of the earth. To this end, he mentions: 

which I understand to mean the North Pole

which I understand to mean the South Pole

Then, once we've found the poles of the earth and demarcated them, he instructs us to suspend the lodestone needle freely in an elaborate experimental setup(look up the book for the specifics) and then see to it that the pole of the magnet that points towards the south-> is the North vice-versa. Refer to this excerpt: 

Chapter V

One Lodestone appears to attract another in the natural position; But in the opposite position repels it and brings it to rights

The title of this chapter is self-explanatory, Dr.Gil gives out elaborate experimental setup to verify what you'll get from this excerpt: 

Note: One interesting thing to note in Dr. Gil's writings is: he associates the phenomena relating to the poles of the magnets very frequently to the poles of the earth and explains these phenomena using geographical terminology very often. 

He also, in this chapter, mentions the effect of cutting a magnet in half: it turns into two separate North and South poles. 

Chapter VI

The Lodestone attracts Iron Ore as well as the smelted metal

This chapter mainly finds mention with regards to properties/nature of different material and how that related to attraction to lodestone and also alludes to the fact that lodestone loses its attractive power if exposed to open air for too long and hence the encasing of lodestone is discussed in an elaborate fashion. Here is an interesting excerpt(I found it amusing at least):

Chapter VII

What Iron is; What its matter; its Use

I am starting to realize by this point then going about the same topic in all the details involving the study of inputs from the previous scholars can be exhausting. And hence, this chapter has established my faith ever so firmly in the erudition of Dr.Gil. Dr.Gil has elucidated upon iron as a substance and presents a compilation of the inputs by previous scholars on this matter. The work is visibly tedious, long-drawn out, elaborate and yet, beautifully presented. I am not gonna discuss the substance of this discussion as it is too far away from our topic, but here are some of my favorite excerpts from this chapter: 

Note: These excerpts are chosen not on the basis of substance, but on the basis of my amusement, as I am not so much interested in material science, and hence, in the substance of this chapter. 

Chapter VIII

In What Countries and regions, Iron is produced

The substance in this chapter too, is not of our interest for the most part. 

Chapter X

Iron Ore has and Aquires Poles, and arranges itself with reference to the earth's Poles

Here, he says that there are some ferreguious materials that do not behave like magnets or show their polar nature under certain conditions or after certain treatment. 

Chapter XI

Wrought-Iron, Not magnetized by the Lodestone, attracts Iron

Mentions wrought iron, the procedure of obtaining it, what it is, and its magnetic property. Also, gives an experiment to demonstrate how even unmagnetized iron attracts other pieces of iron though not as eagerly. Here's a figure to demonstrate the experimental setup from the book: 

Chapter XII

A long Pole of Iron, even not magnetized, assumes a North and South Direction

Here, he describes a really cool experimental setup to verify the fact. he states that a long iron rod will also align itself with the North and South poles of the earth even if unmagnetized. 

Chapter XIII

Smelted Iron has in itself Fixed North and South parts, magnetic activity, verticity and fixed verticestor poles

I am just going to provide some excerpts from here, and move on: 

Chapter XIV

Of Other properties of the Loadstone and of its Medical Virtue

Mentions the opinions and practices involving loadstones for medicinal purposes. I know not of the validity of these medical opinions(On account of not being a student of medicine), but I sure find these outrageous... Outrageously funny and amusing that is. 

Chapter XV

The medicinal power of the Iron

I reserve any opinion/comment of mine on this chapter on account of not knowing as much, but here are some excerpts I find amusing: 

Note: Reflecting upon my very shallow study of western philosophy of criticizing, almost in a way to put down or attack theories/opinions of other people from the writings of Pliny and now this. 

Caveat: Its not that everybody does this all the time, but I have seen instances of this very often. Also, I am not saying that this does not happen in the philosophical writings of any other region, but I haven't read much of any other philosophy.

Chapter XVI

That lodestone and Iron ore are the same, And that Iron is obtained from Both, like other metals from their ores; And that all magnetic properties exist, though weaker, both in smelted iron and in iron ore.

In this chapter, Dr.Gil describes how closely iron is associated with lodestone and vice-versa. How closely these are related and what properties they share, stating: 

He describes how similar iron is to a weak loadstone, stating that Lodestone differs from iron no more than it differs from a weak lodestone. 

Note: I feel something good about this style of writing. I like how Dr.Gil and other contemporary and older authors, in scientific writing, did care to leave behind a hint of human, emotional, or say, an artistic flavor. This is in stark contrast to the scientific literature of today jotted down as mere user manuals for the students for exams as the product. See how Dr.Gil refers to the earth as the common mother and other such instances, he does this without losing any rigor in his scientific quest. 

Dr.Gil expresses the oneness of lodestone and iron in this excerpt: 

Also, this is something new for me: 

Chapter XVII

That the terrestrial globe is magnetic and is a Lodestone; And just as in our hands, the Lodestone possesses all the primary powers(forces) of the earth, so the earth by reason of the same potencies, Lies ever in the same direction in the Universe

In this chapter, Dr. Gil proposes his model of understanding of the earth: its formation, its composition, which, in the context of the time of this writing is quite new and unheard. Among other comments with which he starts off about the nature of the earth, the depth of Oceans, the waters, the lands, elements of Aristotle and the opinions of other philosophers, he comes down to the proposition that lodestone is very similar to the <love this guy> "Common mother of all".

The points he present to support his propositions can be accessed in the book, some of them are: 

1. The presence of poles as in a magnet. 

2. An equator to divide the North and South poles. (But didn't derive these concepts from the earth in the first place!)

Here is another excerpt depicting this one, his idea: 

He also goes upon to discuss upon the topic of a primary element, commenting that earlier philosophers thought it to be an inert/simple matter. 

Dr.Gil considers the lodestone to be the "True Earth". 

Arguing that the lodestone shares many similarities with the nature/properties of the common mother. And likewise, the earth may be considered a giant magnet. 

Book II

Chapter I

Of Magnetic Movements

His primary discussions are on the subject of movement with which he starts off. Dr.Gil mentions Aristotle's views on movement of his elements: 

He states five kinds of motion of differences thereof, those are: 

1. Coition

2. Direction

3. Variation

4. Declination

5. Revolution

Refer to this excerpt for explanation: 

After all this, the second chapter is the MOST IMPORTANT ONE. As it deals with the subject matter we are most interested in. We will discuss this in the next part. Until then.... Peace out....✌🏻✌️