190 MICROSCOPIC OBJECTS. 



resiJt of this wise regulation. Moreover, they quote the 

 Roman emperor Tiberius, (one of the most poHtic and 

 sagacious men who ever hved,) who ordered an artist to be 

 flung to the wild beasts in the amphitheatre for inventing 

 a curious kind of flexible crystal glass, of which he pre- 

 sented a goblet to the emperor, then flung it down on 

 the marble pavement without breaking it, and afterwards 

 hammered out the dinge it had received as if it had been 

 metal.* The wise emperor justly thought this rascal 

 would not have cared had he deprived of bread all the 

 makers of metal drinking-cups, and their famihes, pro- 

 vided his own trade had flourished ; and therefore, in his 

 paternal consideration for the welfare of his subjects, 

 passed the humane sentence mentioned above, in terrorem 

 of all improvers of glass-works. Now Messrs. R. and 

 M. most justly complain that the trade in microscopes is 

 perfectly ruined and worthless, from the eternal nick- 

 nackery which is going on now-a-days in that branch of 

 business. A variety of articles is introduced which are 

 so difficult to make, and put off" so much time, that "they 

 don't pay at no price,' " the pubhc not appreciating them 

 at anvthing like the true cost. Formerly £20, £30, and 

 even £40, was obtained for compound or lucemal of the 

 good old simple construction ; and the half was profit. 

 Now they cannot obtain more for instruments whose 

 prime cost to the shopkeeper is double, and consequently 



* I cannot recollect my authority for this, but it was a Latin 

 author quoted in a description of Pquipeii, proving that the Ro- 

 mans made window-glass. 



