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Relation of Magnetism to Electricity

The most remarkable theories have been invented to account for the phenomena of magnetism. Halley imagined magnetic globes to be moving to and fro in the interior of the earth. Barlow's theory, which refers the whole to electrical currents, is the most rational. Dr. Faraday, for whose kindness to us in early days we always feel grateful, in a series of very curious experiments, has succeeded in identifying magnetism with galvanism, by directing galvanic currents at right angles to the direction of powerful magnets. And its connexion with this and the common species of electricity has deprived it of all its conjuring powers, and reduced it to the well-defined action of electrical bodies.

It is not for us to write either a history of this interesting subject, or to treat it as a science to be acquired; but as it embodies a great number of most instructive and amusing experiments, we think it proper to introduce it here.