1883.] 



MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 



^1 



by Sir William Thomson, Prof. Max- 

 well, and other distinguished physi- 

 cists, he may undertake to compute 

 the number of molecules in the small- 

 est particle of matter recognizable by 

 the unaided eye ; and if he find it to 

 exceed, as he certainly will, the num- 

 ber of letters contained in two billions 

 of Bibles, he may next compute the 

 number of molecules embraced in the 

 smallest particle clearly discernible 

 under the best existing high-power 

 objectives. Finding the multitude of 

 molecules even theje far too vast for 

 conception, he might, in the interest 

 of curiosity and speculation, — and 

 only, I think, in that interest, — calcu- 

 late the lens-power and the illumi- 

 nating poyver necessary for grasping 

 an individual molecule and for thus 

 revealing to man's unresting research 

 the modus operandi oi those mysterious 

 energies, the molecular attractions. 



The revelations of the microscope 

 enlarge the domain over which beauty 

 reigns and imagination casts its spell. 

 To the uninitiated observer, the 

 green scum on the surface of a stag- 

 nint pool is a green unsightly scum — 

 and it is nothing more. To the vision 

 of the microscopist it is an exquisite 

 piece of living tapestry. To the mind 

 of the one, the ooze of the ocean's bed 

 is a slimy and repulsive thing. To 

 the intelligence of the other it is a 

 precious casket protecting, and cease- 

 lessly inviting and receiving into its 

 protection, innumerable myriads of 

 exquisitely sculptured creations. The 

 former discerns in the oak its external 

 aspect and expression only; the latter 

 discerns ail that, and a great deal 

 more. He looks into the tree, — the 

 roots, the trunk, the branches, the 

 leaves, — into and through the whole, 

 as if it were transparent, like crystal ; 

 and he beholds the inscrutable, the 

 God-suggesting, and shall wc not also 

 say, God-requiring life-force, building 

 air and light and dew into buttressed 

 walls and spiry domes, anid climbing 

 with laughter to the sun-kissing leaves, 

 or descending with glee to the joyous 

 earth. 



Now I believe and I affirm that by 

 no amount of skill of text or diagram 

 or picture alone, can our conceptions 

 of this omnipresent microscopic life 

 and sculpture and architecture be ren- 

 dered vivid enougli for such clear and 

 comprehensive insight. This insight, 

 this power to transmute blank opaque- 

 ness into structure-disclosing and beau- 

 ty-revealing transparency, is the pre- 

 rogative of an imagination which has 

 acquired its conceptions through the 

 eye — that eye viewing the actual 

 object in its details and in its com- 

 pleteness. 



Sir Richard Steele wrote of the 

 Lady Elizabeth Hastings, "To love 

 her was a liberal educat'on. " Is it 

 too much for us to say of the micro- 

 scope that to love it is a liberal educa- 

 tion } 



Therefore to him who, immured in 

 professional cares through the day, 

 wishes a delightful and profitable occu- 

 dation of his evening hours, I, with 

 full soul, recommend the acquisition 

 of a mastery of this " myriad-minded " 

 instrument, the use'of which may serve 

 at once for diversion, for enthusiasm, 

 for benevolence, for discipline and 

 knowledge. 



At the conclusion of the address 

 the objects were all ready, and while 

 a portion of the audience was looking 

 at them the rest listened to music 

 well-rendered by Stube's orchestra. 



It is not desirable to attempt even 

 a general description of the exhibi- 

 tion in this place. Mr. F. W. Devoe 

 gave a fine exhibition of the respira- 

 tory and circulatory system of the 

 oyster, which, being explained at 

 length in a special circular, with illus- 

 trative cuts, specially prepared for the 

 occasion, attracted much interest. 

 From the circular we abstract the fol- 

 lowing description of the living speci- 

 mens shown by Mr. Devoe : — 



" An oyster is enveloped in a thin, 

 loose membrane, called its pallium, or 

 mantle. This pallium is united for a 

 little way at the left side of the ani- 

 mal, and all round the right side, but 

 at the posterior end it is free. Let us 



