CHAPTER X. 

 THE MEGALOSCOPE, 



(A new Optical Instrument.) 

 BY THE LATE C. R. GORING. M. D. 



The Megaloscope, or, more strictly speaking", the Megalo- 

 scopic Engiscope, is an instrument for exhibiting the 

 larger varieties of microscopic objects, such as aquatic 

 larvae, entire insects, minerals, shells, flowers, the ma- 

 chinery of chronometers, &c. The great mass of mankind 

 will almost invariably be more delighted by an exhibition 

 where they can see the whole of an object at once, though 

 only moderately magnified, than by a display with a 

 regular microscope, which shows only small detached 

 parts prodigiously amplified. Indeed, I am almost 

 ashamed to say that I myself belong to this unphilosophi- 

 cal part of my species ; but I am not so unreasonable as 

 to expect that opticians ought to be able to make a me- 

 galoscope which should exhibit the whole of a goose, 

 jackass or elephant magnified a million of times, as some 

 people I have met with do, not being aware, I suppose, 

 that the more we magnify any object the less we must 

 be content to see of it, according to the law of nature and 

 optics, whatever may be the construction of the glasses 

 we employ. 



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