Tue MIcroscore. 137 
SURPRISING WORKS OF ART. 
Dr. Power says, he saw a golden chain at Tredescant’s, of 
three hundred links, not more than an inch in length, fastened 
to, and pulled away by a flea. And I myself have seen very 
lately, near Durham yard in the Strand, and have examined 
with my microscope, a chaise, (made by one Mr. Boverick, a 
watch-maker) having four wheels, with all the proper appara- 
tus belonging to them, turning readily on their axles: together 
with a man sitting in the chaise; all formed of ivory, and 
drawn along by a flea without any seeming difficulty. I 
weighed also at the same time and place, a brass chain made 
by the same hand, about two inches long, containing two 
hundred links, with a hook atone end, and a padlock and a 
key at the other; and found it less than the third part of a 
grain. 
We are told, that one, Oswald Nerlinger made acup of a 
pepper-corn, which held twelve hundred other little cups, all 
turned in ivory, each of them being gilt on the edges, and 
standing upon a foot: and that, sofar from being crowded or 
wanting room, the pepper-corn could have held four hundred 
more. 
I have seen since my writing the above, (made by the 
same artist) a quadrille table with a drawer in it, an eating- 
table, a side board table, a looking glass, twelve chairs with 
skeleton backs, two dozen plates, six dishes, a dozen knives, 
and as many forks, twelve spoons, two salts, a frame and 
castors, together with a gentleman, lady, and footman, all 
contained in a cherry-stone: and not filling much more than 
half of it. 
These are some of the nicest, most curious and surprising 
works of art; but let us examine any of them with a good 
microscope, and we shall immediately be convinced, that the 
utmost power of art is only a concealment of deformity, an 
imposition upon our want of sight; and that our admiration of 
it arises from our ignorance of what it really is. 
This valuable discoverer of truth will prove the most 
boasted performances of art to be as ill-shaped, rugged, and 
uneven, as if they were hewn with an axe, or struck out with 
a mallet and chisel. It will show bungling, inequality, and 
