THE MICROSCOPE. 99 



gent audience. Dr. Up De Graff as first vice-president, took the 

 chair promptly at that hour and introduced Dr. Blackham, the pres- 

 ident, in a few neat and highly complimentary phrases. We give a 

 very full abstract of this interesting paper, the delivery of which 

 consumed over an hour. 



Felloiv- Members of the Amencan Society of Microscopists and 

 Friends: 



The constitution of this society makes it the duty of its presi- 

 dent to deliver an address at one of the sessions of each annual 

 meeting; and custom has ruled that while the topic selected for dis- 

 cussion shall be scientific in character, it should at the same time 

 admit of non-technical treatment, with a view to interesting and in- 

 structing, if possible, a general audience. Hence, at the very out- 

 set I encountered much embarrassment in the selection of a theme 

 which at one and the same time might be worthy of the attention 

 and adapted to the appreciation of so large and intelligent an audi- 

 ence as this. But in the end I concluded to attempt a hasty review 

 of the evolution of the modern microscope. 



And so I shall endeavor to trace for you the gradual develop- 

 ment, from the crystal spheroids which served our oriental ancestors 

 as jewels and toys — to the splendid instruments of to-day, those 

 magic tubes that have discovered to us treasures richer far than 

 those of Ali Baba's cave; that have, as it were, equipped us with 

 another "sense" capable of revealing the hidden yet visible world, 

 in which we live and move and have our being; that 

 seem to give promise of the day in which may be lifted a corner 

 of the veil separating between the material and immaterial, and 

 which had hidden through the ages from human ken the mystery of 

 " Life." And I shall show you that almost every important step 

 toward the realization of this ideal has been taken in the face of the 

 most discouraging prediction on the part of high scientific " autho- 

 ity " that such attainment was physically impossible, and hence shall 

 strive to draw therefrom encouragment for the future. Of course 

 neither time nor your patience will permit of my treating this vast 

 subject exhaustively — since its details will fill volumes, indeed do fill 

 libraries. I can but touch upon leading links here and there, and 

 hope that I may be able thus to indicate a sufficient number of these 

 to make the solidity of the evolutionary chain seem real to you. 



