Clifton College Scientific Society. 91 



EXTEA MEETING, Nov. 18, 1870. 



Rev. J. Greene in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the preceding Meeting having been read, a 

 Paper on the ' Microscope ' was read by F. L. Penney, from 

 which the following extracts have been made : — 



' Since the introduction of the Achromatic Microscope, we 

 have obtained nearly the whole of what we kaow of the 

 minute structure of plants. Indeed, in no other department 

 of science or nature has microscopic investigation been more 

 fertile of results than in that of the vegetable kingdom. 

 The humblest weed has had, for microscopists, an attraction 

 unequalled by that of any other department of nature. It 

 was by means of the microscope, that this great truth was 

 brought to light, namely, that the life history of the indi- 

 vidual cell is the first important basis on which to found a 

 true physiology of the life history of plants. This fact is the 

 starting-point of all microscopic investigations in nature. 

 By means of the microscope, we are able to prove that 

 disease is caused and spread by germs of minute matter 



floating in the air Earth, air, water all teem with 



countless living forms, many of which are invisible to the 

 unassisted eye, but, when viewed by the microscope, they 

 exhibit the most beautiful mechanism in their framework, 

 the most perfect regularity in their laws, and the same 

 wondrous adaj)tation of parts to the creatures' wants, which 

 furnishes proofs of the love and wisdom which so strongly 

 mark the works of the Great Creator. . . . 



' The dark abodes of unseen life are opened up for our 

 contemplation — organisations of transcendent beauty aj)peal 

 to our vision — new aspects of life, new forms of being, new 

 laws of reproduction reward the skill of the optician, and the 

 genius and toil of the naturalist. With wonders like these 

 all nature is pregnant — the earth, the ocean, and the air; 

 times past and times present now surrender their secrets to 

 the microscope. What we know at present, even of things 

 the most near and familiar to us, is so little, in comparison 

 to what we know not, that there remains a boTindless field 

 for our enquiries and discoveries. And every step we take 

 serves to enlarge our capacities, and gives us still more just 

 and noble ideas of the power, wisdom, and goodness of God. 

 This marvellous universe is so fuU of wonders, so teeming 



