4 THE MICROSCOPE. 
He was not an original thinker, but built upon the knowledge 
and artistic skill of Spencer. He was far from being the reader and 
scholar that Spencer was, the latter being well informed in all the 
natural sciences and philosophy of things, whilst Mr. Tolles was far 
in the background in these respects. 
It was in the artistic faculties that Mr. Tolles sought and 
attained to success. He had all of the advantage of the triumph 
of Spencer and endeavored to improve, if possible, upon his 
work, not by a departure from his plans and principles, but by 
a finer, or more perfect work in the same field and line of 
pursuit. His first victory was an improvement in the field of 
the Coddington pocket-glass, for which he received much praise, 
and from Spencer, too. This was while he was with Spencer, 
in Canastota, N.Y. He was with Spencer or in Canastota fifteen or 
- sixteen years, and attained to an ability of making object-glasses for 
microscopes of very fine and effective powers before he left Canas- 
tota, and his name began to go out far and near to his praise and 
honor. He left for Boston about 1862, and there he rapidly rose in 
his skill and art, until he equaled the best manufacturers in our 
country. 
Being very retired in his habits he mingled with, and courted 
society but little, and was reserved and exemplary. At an early day, 
he married Miss Dickey, an interesting young lady, who died about 
two years after her marriage. 
He had but limited means to aid him, and had to depend upon 
his own efforts for success in life. 
ROBERT B. TOLLES. 
BY C. H. STOWELL, 
E have been able to collect the following facts concerning the 
life of this eminent man. ~We are largely indebted to the 
Boston papers, kindly.sent us by Mr. Chas. Stodder, for the follow- 
ing account: 
Mr. Robert B. Tolles, of the Boston Optical Works, who died 
at the Massachusetts General Hospital on the 17th inst., had a 
world-wide reputation as a maker of microscopes and particularly as 
a maker of microscope objectives, such as are required by and used 
in the highest class of scientific work. 
