THE ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 
17 
late Professor Quekett and was made by the once celebrated Benjamin Martin 
for his Majesty King George III. It is interesting not only in an antiquarian 
point of view but as a standard of comparison with regard to modern improve¬ 
ment. 
Benjamin Martin was born in the year 1704—a very popular writer on the 
science of his day, and seems to have combined the functions of a schoolmaster 
with the sale and manufacture of philosophical apparatus. In his “New and 
Compencyous System of Optics, printed for James Hodges, at the Looking 
Glass, on London Bridge ” the following advertisement occurs. “ New invented 
pocket reflecting Microscopes with Micrometers, made and sold by Benjamin 
Martin, in Chichester, at the following prices, viz., those with a micrometer at 
one guinea; without a micrometer at ten shillings and sixpence,” and concludes 
by stating 41 that they may be obtained on application at the British Coffee 
House, Finch Lane, London, or sent to any part of England by a letter to me 
at Chichester. Allowance will be made toi those who take a quantity.” An 
excellent account both of this microscope and the maker is given by Mr. John 
Williams in the Quarterly Journal of the Society April 1862. With respect to 
i!capabilities as an instrument, the higher powers viz. the 15th, 20th, and 
30th, line ordinary tests but will not touch the more delicate and would be use¬ 
less in the examination of diatomacese. These three powers gave the following 
results, the test employed being the scale of Morpho Menelaus tried by candle¬ 
light. 
The 15th. Indistinct traces of lines very ill defined. 
The 20th. Lined distinctly, but the definition anything but sharp. 
The 30th. Lined distinctly, but still without good definition; the amplifica¬ 
tion in all these cases being far beyond that which is necessary for bringing out 
the lines sharply with the present object-glasses of much lower power. The 
very finely lined scales of the lepisma were tried with the 30th ; very faint 
traces amounting to a mere suspicion of lines was all it would exhibit: possibly 
superior modes of illumination might produce better effects with these glasses. 
The low powers however, define objects suited to them very fairly. (Williams.) 
By purchase at the sale of the library of the late Professor Quekett, added to 
contributions received from time to time the Society was able to report that they 
had in possession nearly all the works on the Microscope published from 1663 to 
1862. A new era was at hand—wisely ambitious they turned their attention 
to a Royal Charter of Incorporation. Hitherto the Society possessed no legal 
existence, but now having acquired property in the shape of a large and in¬ 
creasing library, a collection of Microscopes and Microscopic objects, together 
with money invested in Government security, it appeared good to the Council 
“ that it would be the duty of the Society, as well as an act of prudence to pre¬ 
sent a petition to the Crown humbly praying that her Majesty would be 
graciously pleased to grant a Itoyal Charter for incorporating into a Society the 
several persons who have already become members.” The advantages of this step 
were obvious—an Association resting under the shadow of legal sanction has 
powers and influence which it could not otherwise possess, together with a capa¬ 
bility of conferring benefit on itself and others higher than that afforded by the 
best amateur arrangement that could be devised. 
Preliminary difficulties were overcome and details of organization were suc¬ 
cessfully arranged, and in 1866-1867 the President, James Glaisher, F.R.S., 
was able to announce that the charter was granted on the 28th August, 1866, 
and that henceforth the members might write F.R.M.S. after their names. It 
need scarcely be stated that the condition of the Society was in a prosperous 
state, the numbers were augmented, and the meetings were well attended. 
Yet in the midst of the general rejoicing the death of Richard Beck was an 
unfeigned cause of sorrow. The name of this gentleman is so associated with 
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