8 THE MICROSCOPE. 



to the inner sanctuary, the irrevocable sentence 

 seemed to be written, " Hitherto shalt thou 

 come, and no farther." Now, through the use 

 of the instrument in its more perfect form, 

 the curtain has been raised, the veil has been 

 rent asunder, a way into the inmost shrine has 

 been opened up, and the observer may, with 

 mingled reverence and joy, behold many of the 

 deep mysteries of nature for the first time un- 

 folded to his view. Here, indeed, the humble 

 grateful observer may regard himself as stand- 

 ing on awful ground ; and he may hear pro- 

 claimed to him, by the voice of nature, lessons 

 at least analogous to those delivered to the 

 high-priest as he bowed his head once a year 

 before the mercy-seat, in the special dwelling- 

 place of the God of Israel, in the Holiest of all. 

 Of old the high-priest standing on this sacred 

 spot surrounded by its dread mysteries look- 

 ing in faith to the rod that budded, and the 

 manna that had fallen from heaven, then lifted 

 his eyes to the mercy-seat, and ventured to 

 gaze even up to the brightness of the Shechinah 

 itself, and so received from the Holy One the 

 precious pledge, that God the Lord, who had 



