Sympathetic Attractions: Magnetic Practices, Beliefs, and Symbolism in Eighteenth-Century England

by Patricia Fara

Book Overview

In this interdisciplinary study of eighteenth-century England, Patricia Fara explores how natural philosophers constructed magnetism as a science, appropriating the skills and knowledge of experienced navigators. For people of this period, magnetic phenomena reverberated with the symbolism of occult mystery, sexual attraction, and universal sympathies; in this maritime nation, magnetic instruments such as navigational compasses heralded imperial...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0691606072
• ISBN13: 9780691606071
• Release Date: July 2014
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Length: 342 Pages
• Weight: 1.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.2"