  For several decades we have been cognizant of the presence of magnetic fields
in early-type stars, but our understanding of their magnetic properties has
recently (over the last decade) expanded due to the new generation of
high-resolution spectropolarimeters (ESPaDOnS at CFHT, Narval at TBL, HARPSpol
at ESO). The most detailed surface magnetic field maps of intermediate-mass
stars have been obtained through Doppler imaging techniques, allowing us to
probe the small-scale structure of these stars. Thanks to the effort of large
programmes (e.g. the MiMeS project), we have, for the first time, addressed key
issues regarding our understanding of the magnetic properties of massive (M > 8
M_sun) stars, whose magnetic fields were only first detected about fifteen
years ago. In this proceedings article we review the spectropolarimetric
observations and statistics derived in recent years that have formed our
general understanding of stellar magnetism in early-type stars. We also discuss
how these observations have furthered our understanding of the interactions
between the magnetic field and stellar wind, as well as the consequences and
connections of this interaction with other observed phenomena.
