ox ACTIVi: MOLECULES. 485 



ii])pcai' to have suspc'ctcd that particles ha\ in*^^ aiiaI(;gous 

 motions luiglit exist in other organized ])odies, and far less 

 in inorganic matter, I consider myself anticipated by this 

 acute observer only to the same extent as l)y Gleichen, and 

 in a nntch less degree than by Midler, whose statements 

 have been already alluded to. 



All the observers now mentioned have confined them- 

 selves to the examination of the particles of organic bodies. 

 In 1819, however, .Mr. Bywater, of Liverpool, published an 

 account of [Microscopical Observations, in which it is stated 

 that not oidy organic tissues, but also inorganic sub- 

 stances, consist of what he terms animated or irritable 

 particles. 



A second edition of this Essay appeared in 1828, proba- 

 bly altered in some points, but it may be snpposed agree- 

 ing essentially in its statements with the edition of 18113, 

 which I have never seen, and of the existence of which 1 

 v.as ignorant when I published my pamphlet. 



From the edition of 1828, which I have but lately met 

 with, it appears that ]\Ir. Bywater employed a compound 

 microscope of the construction called Culpepper^s, that the 

 object was examined in a bright sunshine, and the light 

 from the mirror thrown so obliquely on the stage as to give 

 a blue colour to the infusion. 



The first experiment I here subjoin in his own words. [7 



" A small portion of flour nmst be placed on a slip of 

 glass, and mixed wdtli a drop of water, then instantly ap- 

 plied to the microscope ; and if stirred and viewed by a 

 bright sun, as already described, it will appear evidently 

 tilled with innumerable small linear bodies, writhing and 

 twisting about with extreme activity." 



Similar bodies, and ecpially in motion, were obtained 

 from animal and ve^-etable tissues, from veG;etable mould, 

 from sandstone after being made red hot, from coal, ashes, 

 and other inorganic bodies. 



I believe that in thus stating the manner in which ^Lr. 

 Bywater's experiments were conducted, I have enabled 

 microscopical observers to judge of the extent and kiiul of 

 optical illusion to which he was liable, and of which he 



