THE MICROSCOPE. 
To render the diagram more easy of comprehension, we have 
not here attempted to represent the several distances in their 
proper proportions. 
^The compound lenses, of which object-pieces consist, are 
generally, as represented in the figure, plane on the sides presented 
towards the object. - This is attended, among other advantages, 
with that of allowing a larger angle of aperture than could be 
obtained if the surface presented to the rays diverging from the 
object were convex. 
The extreme rays diverging from each point of the object fall 
upon the surface of the object-glass with a greater and greater 
obliquity as they approach its borders, and since there is an 
obliquity so extreme that the chief part of the rays would not 
enter, the glass at all, but would be reflected from it, the angle of 
aperture must necessarily be confined within such limits, that the 
rays falling from the borders of the lens will not be so oblique as to 
come under this condition. If the surface of the object-glass pre¬ 
sented to the object were convex, it is evident that the rays diverging 
from an object at a given distance from it would fall upon its borders 
with greater obliquity than if it were plane, and, consequently, 
such an obj ect-glass would allow of a less angle of aperture than 
a plano-convex one with its plane side towards the object. 
Improvements have recently been made in object-glasses, by 
which angles of aperture have been obtained so great, as not to- 
admit even of a plane surface being presented to the diverging 
pencil, and it has accordingly been found necessary, in such cases, 
to give the object-glasses the meniscus form (Optical Images, 25),. 
the concave side being presented to the object. By this expedient 
angles of aperture have been obtained so great as 170°. If the 
surface of the object-glass presented to the object were plane, the 
extreme rays of the central pencils, with such an angle of aper¬ 
ture, would fall upon the surface of the lens with obliquities of 
not more than 5°, and the obliquities of the extreme rays of 
the lateral pencils would be even less. Under such circum¬ 
stances, the chief part of the rays near the borders of the 
lens would be reflected, and, consequently, its virtual would be 
less than its apparent angle of aperture. It is questioned by some 
microscopists that even with the expedient of a concave external 
surface, a practically available angle of aperture so great as 170° 
can be obtained. 
The three achromatic lenses here described being mounted, so> 
that their axes shall be precisely in the same straight line, con - 
stitute what is generally called an object-glass, but which, 
perhaps, might with more convenience and propriety be denomi¬ 
nated an OBJECT -PIECE. 
22 
