Girolamo Cardano (1501-1576) [Wikipedia] Distinction between electricity and magnetism

1550

Girolamo Cardano Hieronymi Cardani medici Mediolanensis De subtilitate libri XXI. Ad illustriss. Principem Ferrandum Gonzagam, Mediolanensis prouinciae Praefectum (Johannes Petreius, Norimbergae (=Nürnberg), 1550). [Archive (1550)] [Archive (1550)] [Archive(1559)] [Google(1559)] [Google(1580)] (Different Page Numbering. Different Latin Spellings.) LIBER QVINTVS. De mixtione, & mixtis imperfectis, seu metallicis, pp. 116-145. p. 132 Neq enim lapidis Magnetis & succini eadem trahendi ratio: nam succinu omne leue trahit, magnes ferru solum. Succinum interposito corpore non mouet paleam, magnes ferru. Succinu non trahitur uicissim a palea, magnes trahitur a ferro etiam. [English Translation] The De Subtilitate of Girolamo Cardano (ed.) John M. Forrester with an introduction by John Henry and John M. Forrester (Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Tempe, AZ, 2013). (2 Volumes) pp. 275-334 in Volume 1 Book V On Mixture, and Incomplete or Metallic Mixed Things p. 306 The lodestone and amber do not in fact attract on the same basis; amber attracts anything light, the lodestone only attracts iron. When something is in between, amber does not move a straw, but a lodestone does move iron. Amber is not attracted in turn by a straw, but lodestone is attracted by the iron too.