The Presidenfs Address. 
71 
mode of application of the microscope hut, also, S ^' the ex- 
hibition of new or interesting microscopical objects and pre- 
parations/^ and, £ the advancement of science by encouraging 
^'^communications and discussions relating to subjects of 
microscopical observation/^ 
3. The annual soiree provides both occasion and induce- 
ment to exhibit new or interesting microscopical objects and 
preparations.-' It was held last year on the 10th of April, 
when the Council were gratified by the assemblage of upwards 
of 700 ladies and gentlemen who honoured them by accepting 
their invitation. For the success of that meeting our grate- 
ful acknowledgments are due to the Council of King's College 
for the facilities afforded us, and for their kindness in permit- 
ting us the use of their noble hall for the occasion. For the 
complete and satisfactory arrangement of all the details, we 
are indebted to our esteemed Secretary, Mr. Blenkins, and 
his kind and attentive assistant, Mr. Williams. 
£. Ordinary meetings. — Besides the anniversary meeting, 
and the soiree, seven ordinary meetings have been held as 
usual, at which we have had ^' communications and discussions 
relating to subjects of microscopical observations,'' &c. At all 
our meetings, I am glad to report, we were well supplied with 
papers. 
A. Four refer to the construction of the microscope and its 
accessories. 
1 . " Description of the Universal Achromatic Microscope,^^ 
by Mr. R. Beck. (Read, October 9th, 1861. ^Tr. Mic. 
Soc. Lond.,^ n. s., vol. x, p. 11). 
The instrument here described is not brought into com- 
petition with the first-rate and costly instruments of the same 
or other makers. It is emphatically a cheap instrument. It 
is gratifying to find our makers of first-class microscopes 
seriously endeavouring to produce an instrument to be sold 
at a price which will be within the means of the many who 
are " earnestly seeking the entertainment and instruction 
afforded by a microscope of even moderate powers.^^ The 
more our means of observation are multiplied and brought 
within reach of a larger class of observers, the more rapidly 
may we expect to extend our knowledge and become ac- 
quainted with '^'^that immense field of nature still unex- 
plored.^^ 
2. Description of a microscope by Benjamin Martin,^^ by 
Mr. Wilhams. (Read, 8th January," 1862), 
