THE MICEOSCOPE. 



PAET I. 



HISTORY OF THE INVENTION AND IMPROVEMENTS OF 

 THE MICROSCOPE. 



CHAPTER I. 



HISTORY OF TUE MICROSCOPE. 



HE instrument known as the Mi- 

 croscope derives its name from 

 two Greek words, /xiKpbs, small, 

 and o-KOTreo), to view; that is, to 

 see or view such minute objects 

 as without its aid would be in- 

 visible. 



The honour of the invention 

 is claimed by the Italians and the 

 Dutch; the name of the inventor, 

 however, is lost. Probably the- 

 discovery did not at first appear 

 sufficiently important to engage 

 the attention of those men who. 

 by their reputation in science, were able to establish at: 

 opinion of its merit, and to hand down the name of its 

 inventor to succeeding ages. 



If we consider the microscope as an instrument con 

 sisting of one lens only, it is not at all improbable that ii 

 \vas known at a very early period, nay even in a degree t: 



