228 THE MICROGRAPHIC DICTIONARY. 



the ' Micrograph ic Dictionary,' and too varied to be satis- 

 factorily cultivated by one or two individuals, however well 

 qualified. We find no fault, therefore, with the work in that 

 it has fallen short of the promise above quoted, but we may 

 be allowed to express some regret that the object expressed 

 in the title of the book has not been more closely adhered to. 

 A very useful and interesting work would be one including 

 plain and succinct accounts of the usual objects belonging 

 either to the organic or inorganic world, of a size so minute 

 as to require the aid of the microscope for their correct 

 examination — of objects which come under the observation, 

 not so much of the natural philosopher only, as of the 

 general class of observers who employ the microscope as 

 much as a means of intellectual and instructive amusement 

 and occupation as for the more serious purposes of study. 

 The real student will resort to other sources of instruction 

 than the pages of a Dictionary ; and we fear that, notwith- 

 standing its many excellences, the general microscopist, as 

 he may be termed, will find much redundant matter in the 

 present work not very useful to him, and will look in vain 

 for many things which, as we conceive, he would have a 

 right to expect in its pages. 



The introductory observations on the " use of the micro- 

 scope and the examination of microscopic objects," refer 

 chiefly to the construction and mode of using the instrument 

 and to the methods commonly employed in microscopic 

 manipulation. In these, we observe nothing novel or calling 

 for remark, except, perhaps, an implied recommendation to 

 microscopists to use glass slides measuring 2^ x 1 inch 

 instead of those of the now universally adopted dimensions of 

 3x1 inch. This " mischievous recommendation," as a 

 zealous correspondent terms it, we hope no one will incon- 

 venience himself and others by following. Besides these 

 introductory chapters, the work consists of short notices of 

 various objects taken, apparently, in some measure at random 

 from the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms. 



The main bulk of the Dictionary consists of botanical 

 articles. These include a great range of subjects, though 

 chiefly having reference to the lower cryptogamic plants, and 

 they include a considerable amount of valuable and original 

 information. The principal fault we have to find with this 

 department of the work is its very needless bulk, which is 

 caused by the admission of numei'ous things of no use or 

 interest whatever to the microscopical observer, nor, in fact, 

 to any one, and which seem to be quite out of place where 

 they are found. As a sort of imperfect " Conspectus 



