1893.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 277 



the stern lonuality of scientific; re(iuireinent, is a finished " pic- 

 ture." At this crucial point the capability of the niicroscopist 

 and artist blend, involvint; knowledL'e of the suV^ject, the nr- 

 ran<;ement of optical apparatus, judgment, and study in the 

 methods of procedure. A drawing may be true in its scientific 

 aspect, and possess artistic features of decided interest — the one 

 may incorporate the other. 



Although the bias of an exftert microscopist and jjractised ar- 

 tist may not often touch the same mind, it is certain that when 

 a keen perception is directed to complications of beauty, with 

 rare conditions of light, and effulgence of color, the instrument 

 becomes the very touch-stone of" artistic feeling, and, be3'ond 

 mere beauty (which, in visible nature, is inexhaustible) there 

 are revelations of structural form, quaint elegancies, mysterious 

 changes of tissues, and embryolo^ical developments, under ra- 

 diances, hidden, not only from ordinary familiarity, but even 

 from the cognisance of many who have not had the opportu- 

 nity of exhausting the resources of a fine instrument, with all 

 its accessories. 



A microscopical drawing may be absolutely true, and an ar- 

 tistic grace secured, by preserving line for line what is actually 

 presented, assuming the preparation to be fairly perfect, in 

 other words, not drifting into a stilted diagrammatic style, or 

 wandering from close observation, because the subject appears 

 to have a certain regularity ; no two cells, vessels, or fibres ar 5 

 absolutely alike ; to give " life " to a picture, every part of the 

 structure should be a portrait, the pencil deviating from accu- 

 racy melts into falsity and confusion, uniformity is fatal, and ob- 

 scures important differentiation of parts ; again, in order to de- 

 lineate what is expected, or wished to be seen, aiming at " cor 

 rection," is to be avoided ; it is better to draw imj)erfections, if 

 they be present. An overlapping or torn structure often reveals 

 an important fact, so patent is this, that a "fabricated " draw- 

 ing may be detected in a moment, especially of Diatomaceous 

 or Infusorial forms — a broken fragment, a solitary individual, 

 is the clue to a perfect whole, or group ; such built up arrange- 

 ments have no charm beyond technicality. A good rejiresen- 

 tation possesses a mingled quality of accuracy and imperfection. 

 a paradox, which stamps its value! Suppose a preparation of 

 verticnl section of human «calp of rare excellence, double stained, 



