The President's Address. 
77 
a demonstration, many, -who are not aware of the objects 
and advantages of the Society will be induced to become 
members. 
Passing from what has occurred within our own body to 
the general interests of microscopical science without, I am 
glad to inform you that reports from the various houses 
sending out microscopes in London, show a large increase on 
past years. 1 am glad to inform you that the sale of cheaper 
microscopes of powers decidedly available for scientific mi- 
croscopes has greatly increased. We are greatly indebted 
for this to the step taken by the Society of Arts of appoint- 
ing a committee of your Society to decide upon a form of 
cheap microscope to which they should award one of their 
medals as a mark of approbation. The makers of the 
microscope which obtained the medal have sent out 1393 of 
these instruments, and I find, on inquiry amongst various 
makers, that, since the appearance of this microscope, 
the sale of microscopes at a cost of ten guineas and under 
has greatly increased. Much is thus evidently done towards 
making the microscope an instrument of popular use and 
instruction. 
With the view if possible of rendering the microscope 
available in our public museums for the inspecting of objects 
or parts of objects not visible to the naked eye, I have given 
Mr. Ladd the plan of an instrument for use in public 
museums. The desiderata in such an instrument seemed to 
be — First, fixity, to be secured by screwing or clamping to a 
table. Second, a limited movement of the object-glasses, so 
that they might not be broken by careless observeis. Third, 
a revolving disc for a series of eight or ten slides to con- 
tain objects not intended to be removed by the observer. 
Such an instrument has been placed on the table this even- 
ing, and I should be glad of the opinions of members pre- 
sent on its adaptation to the purposes for which it has been 
constructed. 
Next to the importance of discovery itself, I believe, 
is the importance of making these discoveries known. 
I trust that this Society will ever be found more anxious to 
diffuse amongst the largest number the results of its inves- 
tigations, than to obtain any special advantage for itself. 
Whatever may be the fate of our Society, the path of micro- 
scopical investigation is that in which in the science of 
life must run for many years to come. " Minimus parti- 
bus, per totum naturae campum, certitudo omnis innititur 
qusesqui fugit, pariter naturam fugit^^ is our motto, and 
we are in a position to give an emphasis to the utterance 
