PREFACE. 



THIS is a very pretentious little book. It assumes 

 as a fact that very few even otherwise well-edu- 

 cated people, know anything whatever of the life 

 here treated of ; and consequently pretends to 

 convey that knowledge to them, or at any rate to 

 introduce the subject to their notice, and so perad- 

 venture awaken such an interest in their minds as 

 shall induce further investigation. 



The microscope reveals a new world of life and 

 beauty. " The invisible appears in sight; " and it 

 may be confidently predicted that at no very dis- 

 tant period no one will be considered educated who 

 does not possess a knowledge of its revelations, and 

 that all such who have the means will become pos- 

 sessed of the instrument. - Neither, considering the 

 present tendency of the makers to produce cheap 

 and popular microscopes, need the expense be a 



