MISCELLANEOUS 2?3 



25 to 80. The reader can more easily imagine what 

 the almost incredible magnifying power of this " triumph, 

 of artistic skill " will do, than I can either calculate or 

 describe, when the more than " double-million magnifying 

 power " of Charles Dickens is brought into action. 



But such a glass as this is never meant for ordinary 

 eyes. Only those of so deep a thinker as I have already 

 mentioned are able to see how to manage such a marvel- 

 lous piece of what he truly calls " optical perfection." 



But the reader will ask, is this perfection to stop 

 here? If ever diamonds, as some fancy, may become 

 sufficiently plentiful to be used as lenses for the microscope, 

 what may then be the result of microscopical science ! 



Can we reflect upon such thoughts as these without 

 being overwhelmed by the glory and beauty of the world 

 we live upon ? And is it not a natural step from that to 

 the devotional consideration of Him who is its Great 

 Architect ? 



With such lenses as these "every grain of sand 

 becomes an immensity, every leaf a world, every insect 

 an assemblage of incomprehensible effects in which re- 

 flection is lost ; " * and we exclaim, with " Zanoni," that 

 not a mote in the sunbeam, not an herb on the mountain, 

 not a pebble on the shore, not a seed far blown into the 

 wilderness, but contributes to the love that seeks in all 

 the true principle of life, the beautiful, the joyous, tjie 

 immortal. What may we not see with our new eyes ! 



I have thus opened the door for you to enter which 

 leads to the invisible world, and I have humbly described 

 for your imitation what effect the objects we have seen 

 there has had upon my own mind; and I have warned 

 you what a different effect it has unfortunately had upon 

 the minds and lives of others. If you believe the Bible 

 * Lavatcr. 



a 



