PKOF. ATTFIF.LD — POISOXS NOT ALWAYS TOISOXS. 155 



animals, and on plants said to bo poisonous. Papers setting forth 

 the results of such observations, or of experiments, would be appro- 

 priately communicated to this Society, and would be welcomed by 

 all who are interested in the truths of Nature. 



It is scarcely necessary to point any moral. Moreover, scientific 

 men have a strong objection to the question Cui bono ? At the same 

 time there are doubtless difterent ways of viewing a subject of this 

 kind. I will not make more comments myself, but with the view 

 of relieving the somewhat dry details I have brought before you, 

 I will give you what has been written by a rhymester on the point 

 of view which possibly a mite might take of a microscopist, and 

 then leave the subject in your hands. 



A philosopher sat in his easy chair, 



Looking as grave as Milton; 

 He wore a solemn and mystic air 



As he Canada balsam spilt on 

 A strip of glass, as a slide to prepare 



For a mite taken out of his Stilton. 



He took his microscope out of his case, 



And settled the focus rightly. 

 The light thrown hack from the mirror's face 



Came glimmering upward brightly. 

 He put the slide with the mite in place, 



And fixed on the cover tightly. 



He turned the instrument up and down. 



Till getting a proper sight, he 

 Exclaimed — as he gazed with a puzzled frown, 



"Good gracious! " and " Highty tighty ! 

 The sight is enough to alarm the town — 



A mite is a monster mighty ! " 



From t'other end of the tube, the mite 



Eegarded our scientific, — 

 To its naked eye, as you'll guess, the sight 



Of a man was most terrific. 

 But reversing the microscope, made him quite 



The opposite of magnific. 



" One sees the truth through this tube so tall," 



Said the mite as he squinted through it, 

 " Man is not so wondrously big after all, 



If the mite-world only knew it !" 



MORAL. 



"Whether a thing is large or small 

 Depends on the way you view it ! 



