Gilbert of Colchester, father of electrical science : a reprint of the chapter on electrics from De magnete, lib. 2 / with notes by Silvanus P. Thompson.

  • Gilbert, William, 1544-1603.
Date:
1903
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Gilbert of Colchester, father of electrical science : a reprint of the chapter on electrics from De magnete, lib. 2 / with notes by Silvanus P. Thompson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Terrestrial Magnetism. He also made notable contribu- tions to Astronomy, being the earliest English expounder of Copernicus. In an age given over to metaphysical obscurities and dogmatic sophistry, he cultivated the method of experiment and of reasoning from observa- tion, with an insight and success which entitles him to be regarded as the father of the indudtive method. That method, so often accredited to Bacon, Gilbert was prac- tising years before him. It seems therefore fitting upon the occurrence of the Tercentenary of his death to recall Gilbert’s achieve- ments as the Father of Electric Science. GILBERT’S MAGNETIC DISCOVERIES. ILBERT’S magnetic work has been so often described that a brief summary will here suffice. Trying the properties of loadstones in innumerable experiments lasting over many years, he was led to several notable discoveries, and to one generalization of immense im- portance. He discovered the augmentation of the power of a loadstone by arming or capping it with soft iron cheeks. Gilbert called such a cap an armatura, the first occurrence of the term. This invention brought him much fame. In the Dialogues of Galileo (p. 369 of Salusbury’s Mathe- matical Collections, Dialogue iii ), Sagredus and Salviatus discuss the arming of the loadstone, and the increased lifting power conferred by adding an iron cap. Salviatus mentions a load- stone in the Florentine Academy which, unarmed, weighed six ounces, lifting only two ounces, but which when armed took up 160 ounces. Whereupon Galileo makes Salviatus say: “I extreamly praise, admire, and envy this Authour, for that a conceit so stupendous should come into his minde. . . . I think him [i.e., Gilbert] moreover worthy of extraordinary applause for the many new and true Observations that he made, to the disgrace of so many fabulous Authours, that write not only what they do not know, but whatever they hear spoken by the foolish vulgar, never seeking to assure themselves of the same