10 
Transactions of the Society . 
known by bis great work on the British Spongiadae published by the 
Kay Society. Bowerbank was born in Sun Street, Bishopsgate, in 
July 1797, and succeeded to his father’s distillery there, in which lie 
was an active partner until 1847. He lectured publicly upon botany 
and upon human anatomy. Bowerbank’s weekly receptions of 
microscopists and men of science have been before referred to ; be 
continued them at bis new bouse at No. 3, Highbury Grove, after be 
had left Islington (where be lived when the Microscopical Society was 
founded). No man ever was more anxious to communicate bis know- 
ledge and exhibit bis scientific treasures to those who bad tastes 
similar to bis own; but be was not equally desirous of acting as 
showman to those who did not take an intelligent interest in them. 
I have been told, from what should be a trustworthy source, that 
Bowerbank kept a small collection of showy and striking slides in a 
special box which he called bis “ goodness gracious box,” and that if 
any one whose tastes be did not know wanted to see through bis 
Microscopes, he would show them some slide having plenty of 
information in it : if the visitor asked some intelligent question about 
structure the host was delighted to go on showing and explaining ; 
but if the first remarks were unappreciative Bowerbank would hand 
him over to some one else to exhibit “the beautiful things in that 
box.” Bowerbank has passed away from us, but the two classes into 
which be divided slide-seeing humanity still exist, the lovers of 
structure and the lovers of the “ goodness gracious box ” are with us 
to-day ; personally I do not see why the latter should not get all the 
pleasure they can from the face of Nature. When Carpenter wrote 
somewhat contemptuously of “ mere beauty,” he, to my mind, as much 
missed one of the most charming aspects of Nature, as did a certain 
well-known artist, who when 1 was about to explain to him the 
structure of the object be was looking at, said, “I do not want to 
know how it is made, I am satisfied with the beautiful exterior. If I 
see a beautiful scene at a theatre, I do not want to go on the stage 
and examine all the cardboard and gold-leaf that it is composed of.” 
It seems to me that he who can admire both the structure and the 
beauty to the eye is the truest student of Nature and derives most 
pleasure from the study. 
If any jealousy of the new Society ever existed it must have died 
out before 1848, for in that year we find the Linnean Society inviting 
the Microscopical to join them in their annual dinner. 
In this year George Busk became President ; he w T as an original 
member and a frequent contributor to the J ournal. He was born in 
1807, and was the second son of Kobert Busk of St. Petersburg. He 
became a M.R.C.S. in 1830, and was appointed surgeon to the 
seamen’s hospital ship ‘ Dreadnought ’ ; in 1856 he resigned this 
appointment to devote himself to scientific work. He became 
President of the Pioyal College of Surgeons in 1871. Besides 
papers contributed to various scientific Societies and journals, he 
