Sett. 1, 1SG6.] 



II ARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



193 



OUR CLUB. 



" It is in memory of the patient workman of Science who toiled out a quiet happy life under the skylights in 

 Lincoln's- Inn Fields, that a Microscopic Club has been established, entitled the Quekett Club. For the 

 encouragement and practice ot this most useful branch of science the association has been formed, and it very 

 properly christened itself after the indefatigable and famous master of microscopic learning." 



The Daily Telegraph, Sept. 5, 1865. 



-fj'^. 



&* 



) 



IEE is a chain 

 of surprises, to 

 which ever}' 

 clay adds a 

 link," is written 

 by some 'one, 

 but by whom 

 we do not re- 

 member. Had 

 selfsame author known 

 little friend, who, like 

 Sir Thomas the Good, 



Would pore by the hour, 



O'er a weed or a flower, 



Or the slugs that come crawling 



out after a shower ; 

 Still poking his nose into this 



and to that, 

 At a gnat, or a bat, or a cat, or 

 a rat, 

 Or great ugly things, 

 All legs and wings, 

 With nasty long tails arm'd with 

 nasty long stings : — 



Had he known that assiduous little type of a de- 

 votee to the microscope twelve months ago, even 

 he could never have imagined such a link hi the 

 chain of surprises, as the said devotee having " gone 

 to his club." We by no means allude to any per- 

 sonal and individual friend, but to that mythical 

 member of the Q.M.C. who once a month covers his 

 head and rushes from his study, his microscope, and 

 his Canada balsam, to spend the evening at his Club. 

 This Journal bad only fairly started into existence 

 last year, when a correspondent inquired of us, in 

 a communication addressed to the Editor, whether 

 it would not be practicable to associate all the 

 amateur microscopists of the metropolis in a 

 society for their mutual benefit. This letter was 

 printed (at page 116 of vol. 1.), with a note ap- 

 pended, soliciting communications on the subject. 

 No. 21. 



So favourably was the proposition received, that it 

 was considered advisable to call a meeting of all 

 who might feel interested in the subject. The 

 result was, that a provisional committee was or- 

 ganized, and the idea, which originated with one 

 individual in May, became a realized fact in July ; 

 and (at page 1S9) the "Quekett Microscopical Club" 

 was announced as having commenced its career, 

 which has been so successfully prosecuted during 

 the past twelve months. Those loquacious old ladies 

 who are so intimately associated with the advent of 

 our juvenile population, are wont to pride themselves 

 when any one of their proteges grows up as a 

 " clever boy " and threatens to make " a noise in the 

 world," that it was a " child of their nursing." In 

 like manner we regard this offspring of a year as a 

 child of our own nursing, with a longing to pat it 

 on the head, and call it " Our Club." 



We deem the present a favourable opportunity 

 for making known to some of our readers what this 

 institution is, of which we profess ourselves a little 

 proud. The opportunity is a favourable one, be- 

 cause it just succeeds the close of its first year, and 

 because, having presided at its birth, a little femi- 

 nine loquacity from the " Gossip " of the occasion 

 will be regarded as quite natural, and be pardoned 

 accordingly. 



According to custom, the Club issued its pro- 

 spectus, in which the following paragraph occurs : — 



" This Club has been established for the purpose 

 of affording to Microscopists, in and around the 

 Metropolis, opportunities for meeting and exchang- 

 ing ideas without that diffidence and constraint 

 which an amateur naturally feels when discussing 

 scientific subjects in the presence of professional 

 men." 



Thus the general objecls of the Club are set 

 forth ; how they have been accomplished, a few facts 

 gleaned from the Report presented at the annual 



meeting will explain. 



After acknowledging the dis- 



K 



