[4] 



Ibiator^ of tbe poetal fllXcroecoplcal Society. 



THE issue of this opening number of our Journal seems to 

 afford a good and fitting opportunity for giving a brief 

 resiwie of the history of the society, of the way in which it 

 originated, and of the ends which its promoters had chiefly in view. 

 The circumstance which more immediately gave rise to its 

 foundation, was the appearance in " Science-Gossip," during the 

 summer of 1873, of a letter, suggesting that if 12 gentlemen could 

 be found willing to co-operate in forming a httle club for the circu- 

 lation of Microscopic Slides, and notes thereupon, it might lead to 

 a very pleasant and profitable interchange of thought and study. 

 This letter, from an unknown hand, was replied to by our present 

 Hon. Sec, Mr. A. Allen ; thereupon a further correspondence and 

 enquiry ensued, when it was soon ascertained, that not 12 only, 

 but 3 times 12, individuals were ready to come forward, and join 

 at once in the proposed scheme. A code of rules, few and simple, 

 was quickly drawn up, and in September of that year the Society 

 came into existence, under the name of the "Postal Micro-Cabinet 

 Club," and with a roll of 36 members. Mr. A. Atkinson, of 

 Brigg, — the writer of the original letter in " Science-Gossip," — was 

 chosen its first President, and held that office for two years ; he 

 was then succeeded by Mr. T. West, who continued to hold it 

 until failing health compelled his resignation in 1879, niuch to 

 everyone's regret. By that time the club had increased from 36 

 to over 100 members, its sphere of action and usefulness had 

 greatly enlarged, and it had changed its first title for that of the 

 '' Postal Microscopical Society," which it now bears. What more 

 remains to be said about it, may perhaps be most fitly said in 

 the words of Mr. West, as spoken by him in his Presidential 

 Address for the year 1877 : — 



" As is generally the case with great inventions or discoveries, 

 the possibility of conducting such an important educational work 

 through the post, originated quite independendy in the minds of 

 two individuals, and at just the same period of time. These 

 workers were living far apart, entirely unknown to each other; 

 but the time was ripe for the coming event — the nascent thought 

 was brooded upon, its practicability made clear, and we had our 

 birth. Need I say that the honoured name of one was Alfred 

 Atkinson ! on whom, from slight priority of utterance to his 



