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temptuously of those who differ from them in opinion. And 

 it is not in accordance with philosophic principles to refuse 

 to accept or to ridicule the evidence brought by the micros- 

 copical observer on the plea that he is a mere microscopist — 

 an injector — a putter up of preparations, and so forth. His 

 evidence after all may be very important, and must at least 

 be of more value than the conjectural hypothesis of the 

 physical imagination. 



Hard and unsparing has been the criticism of the weak 

 brethren by those who call themselves very strong. No one 

 would believe that the weak and the strong were working 

 together in the same great workshop for the same great end. 

 Some in our department, notwithstanding the fact that they 

 have served their apprenticeship with credit, and have never 

 scamped the work they were set to do, have been condemned 

 almost by name. Our instrument of research has been called 

 " mischievous," and that most unpleasant qualification, 

 " mere," has been inserted before the epithet which is 

 applied to us by our fellow-workmen who have embraced 

 the new philosophy. Now, let us indulge in a little friendly 

 criticism for the benefit of our strong friends. The micros- 

 copical observer, although wanting in the remarkable in- 

 tensity and self-confidence by which the physicist is dis- 

 tinguished, may nevertheless succeed in showing certain 

 details of structure and peculiarities of constitution which 

 elude other methods of physical research, but which are 

 worthy of the attention of every one working in nature's work- 

 shop. At the same time it is very desirable that microscopists 

 should have a clear understanding concerning what is com- 

 prised under the term Physics — a department of science 

 which is to be taught in elementary schools, and which girls 

 as well as boys are expected to learn. We will examine 

 the term physics with a very moderate power, and endeavour 

 to ascertain what the girls and boys of the rising generation 



