THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 123 



attained in the comparatively short time we have been considering, 

 I think we have great and abundant cause for hope in the years to 

 come. Through the ages all along the subject of Light has been 

 one of surpassing interest to the minds of men, an interest which 

 even at the present time stimulates the students of physical science 

 to unravel the intricacies of refraction, diffraction, polarization, 

 spectrum analysis, photography, and other cognate branches of this 

 intensely interesting element, and where all are so urgently investi- 

 gating, I feel we, as microscopists, are encourged to look forward 

 to many and great improvements in our favourite instrument, 

 enabling us to see definitely and distinctly much that at present is 

 hidden from us. 



In this necessarily condensed and hurried review I have endea- 

 voured to carry your minds back to the simple bead of glass, to 

 show you that when once the interest in the amplification of small 

 objects took possession of the minds of men they became dis- 

 satisfied with the powers at their disposal, and sought for increased 

 facilities. And do we find the microscopical mind any more satisfied 

 now than in the days of the simple bead ? We have made long 

 strides beyond that day of small beginnings, but our longings are 

 still unmet. We are still longing to pierce the infinitely invisible ; 

 and doubtless, in process of time, we may be furnished with such 

 improved and increased powers as shall exceed our present micro- 

 scopes as much as they surpass the simple sphere of glass. 

 Humanity owes much to the microscope, for it has been a mes- 

 senger of many blessings to the great human family, not only in 

 furnishing a lofty and soul- raising recreation, but in being the 

 means of assisting us to many an insight into the great problems of 

 life. In this aspect alone the microscope calls for the devoted 

 labours of all who make the subject of Light their great study, to 

 enable it to show those hidden causes of death and disease which 

 spread sorrow and distress throughout the land, and possibly help 

 us to a solution of the many difficulties which beset the path of the 

 pathologist. All glory, I say, be to those workers of whom Prof. 

 Abbe is a type. It is to the results of their labours that the future 

 microscopists must look for further advances. Workers in the 

 early days fashioned their lenses by the rule of thumb : now the 

 rigid laws of refraction are made to yield beneath the will of 

 modern science, and who is bold enough to limit its power ? 



I beg now to thank you heartily for the honour you have con-* 

 Journ. Q. M. C, Series II., No. o. l 



