18 Transactions of the American Institute. 



SCIENTIFIC LECTUKE~I. 



THE MICPwOSCOPE AI^D ITS RETELATIOl^S. 



Bt Rev. F. A. P. Barnard, LL. D. 



The first of the series of Scientific Lectures announced to be 

 given before the American Institute this winter, was delivered by 

 President Barnard, of Cohimbia College, at Steinway Hall on the 

 evening of ]!^ovember 25tli, 1868, to a large and intelligent audience. 

 George W. Morgan presided at the organ. The lecture, entitled The 

 Microscope and its Revelations, was listened to with great attention. 

 The exhibitions showing the wonderful powers of the microscope by 

 means of calcium lights, screens and magic lanterns were well 

 worthy of the applause they received. The Hon. Horace Greeley, 

 President of the American Institute, introduced the speaker by say- 

 in o- that the people of a groat Emporium who went nightly to the 

 Grande Duchess, Humpty Dumpty, and other- amusements, came 

 there that evening to be instructed as well as entertained by a lecture 

 on the microscope and its revelations. Mr. Greeley then presented 

 tlie lecturer, who was most cordially welcomed. President Barnard 

 spoke as follows : 



Ladies AND Gentleimen: I propose to occupy your attention for 

 an hour this evening with some account of the construction and uses 

 of an instrument which presents one of the most felicitous illustra- 

 tions known of the ingenious application of theoretic principles to 

 the production of a practical result, and which is in itself, at the 

 same time, one of the most signal triumphs of tlie refined artistic 

 skill of modern times in responding to the demands of science. 

 "Without any reference to the purposes for which it is intended, the 

 microscope is a study of extraordinary interest. Whoever thoroughly 

 understands its principles, must, at the same, become familiar with 

 the essential laws of the most beautiful of the physical sciences, and 

 with the properties of the marvelous medium through which we 



