Book II chapter 15

The Magnetick Virtue¹ which is conceived in Iron is more apparent in an iron rod than in a piece of iron that is round, square, or of other figure.

D uly was it said before that the longer magnet attracts the greater weight of iron167; so also in a longish piece of iron which has been touched the magnetick force conceived is stronger when the poles exist at the ends. For the magnetick forces which are driven from the whole in every part into the poles are not scattered² but united in the narrow ends. In square and other angular figures the influence is dissipated, and does not proceed in straight lines or in convenient arcs. Suppose also an iron globe have the shape of the earth, yet for the same reasons it drags magnetick substances less; wherefore a small iron sphere, when excited, draws another piece of iron more sluggishly³ than an excited rod of equal weight.

1 virtue   

n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力

参考例句：

• He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
• You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

2 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

3 sluggishly   

adv.懒惰地；缓慢地

参考例句：

• The river is silted up and the water flows sluggishly. 河道淤塞，水流迟滞。
• Loaded with 870 gallons of gasoline and 40 gallons of oil, the ship moved sluggishly. 飞机载着八百七十加仑汽油和四十加仑机油，缓慢地前进了。 来自英汉非文学 - 百科语料821