Condition of Microscojpy in England. By F7'ank Crisp. 131 
to the first, to the disregard of the second. So long ago as the time 
of Fontana, he wrote, “ It is easy to view the image which is offered 
to the eye, but not so easy to form a judgment of the things that are 
seen, as an extensive knowledge of the subject, great patience, and 
many experiments will he found necessary for this purpose, for 
there are many circumstances where the images seen may be very 
similar, though originating from substances totally difierent, and it 
is here the penetration of the observer will be exercised to discover 
the difference and avoid the error.” 
To quote Sir John Herschel once more : “ It has been found 
invariably that in those departments of physics where the pheno- 
mena are beyond our control, or into which experimental inquiry 
from other causes has not been carried, the progress of knowledge 
has been slow, uncertain, and irregular ; while in such as admit of 
experiment, and in which mankind have agreed to its adoption, it 
has been rapid, sure and steady.” * 
In microscopy experiment is, of course, more difficult of appli- 
cation than it is in some other branches of science, but there is still 
ample room for it ; many instances will readily occur to you, such 
as those of the late Mr. Richard Beck on the Lepisma scales, Mr. 
Slack’s silica films, and others, which have now and then appeared 
in our ‘ Proceedings.’ 
It may be that the work I suggest has already been in great 
part done ; if so, it has not been recorded, and for all useful 
purposes might as well not have been done. It may also be that 
it is not so inexhaustible as I suppose; in that case there is the 
less reason for not exhausting it. Whilst I do not hold the view 
which some people in this country are fond of pretending to hold, 
that nothing valuable is to be found at home, and that everything 
abroad is necessarily of superior merit, we may at least set before 
us, as a goal worthy of being reached, the attainment of a position 
in our own particular branch of science on a level (to say the least) 
with that of other countries. 
I know that those amongst you who hold my views are com- 
paratively few in number. I have, however, put them forward 
now so that what it is we advocate may be underst ^od, and others 
may possibly thereby be converted to the true faith. However 
erroneous or fanatical those views may be considered, I cannot 
think that any harm can result from thus stating them. 
To the retort, “ Physician, heal thyself,” I can only say that it 
is a matter of no small regret to me, that with every inclination to 
lead the way, an insuperable barrier should be presented by the 
exigencies of my particular avocation, which not only reduce to 
small proportions my leisure hours, but render it necessary that 
those hours should be mainly employed in a recuperative process ; 
* ‘ Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy.’ 
L 2 
