248 



ATURALIST [Vol. LIII 



man— the "Micrographia" of Robert Hooke, published 

 by the Eoyal Society of London in 1665 (cf. Fig. 1). 

 The point of view of the author is well illustrated in the 

 following extracts from the preface : 



It is the great prerogative of Mankind above other Creatures, that we 

 are not only able to behold the ivorks of Nature, or barely to sustein our 

 lives by them, but we have also the power of considering, comparing, 

 altering, assisting, and improving them to various uses. And as this is 

 the peculiar priviledge of humane Nature in general, so it is capable of 

 being so far advanced by the helps of Art, and Experience, as to make 



MICROGRAPHIA: 



Phyjulc^al Defcriptions 



minute' bodies 



MAGNIFYING GLASSFS- 



