“That admirable Instrument the MICROSCOPE has opened to us of
these latter Ages, a World utterly unknown to the Ancients. There are
very few Substances, in which it does not shew something curious and
unexpected; but for the Sake of such Readers as are unacquainted with
that Instrument, I shall set down some of the most remarkably entertaining
Objects, upon which actual Observations have been made.
“1. The Globules of the Blood, which are computed to be almost
a two thousandth Part of an Inch in Diameter, each consisting of six
small Globules, each of which again probably consists of six smaller,
and so on. The Circulation of the Blood is to be seen very distinctly
in the Tail of a small Fish, the Web of the Foot of a Frog, etc. and
the Globules to split and divide, before they can enter the smallest
Vessels.
“2. The Bones of all Creatures, sliced extremely thin, afford
an entertaining Object for the Microscope, consisting of innumerable
Perforations, and Ramifications, disposed in an endless Variety of Forms.
“3. The Flesh of all Land and Sea Animals dried, and cut into
very thin Slices, gives a beautiful View of the various Fibres, and
their Convolutions. The Brain, the spinal Marrow, and even the Hairs
of Animals, exhibit different Curiosities.
“4. The human Skin, by the Help of the Microscope, is found to
be covered over with an infinite Number of Scales lying over one another,
as in fishes; and it is probably the same in other Animals. It has been
computed that a Grain of Sand will cover two hundred of these Scales.
“5. All Sorts of Feathers, especially those of the Peacock, afford
a surprizing View in the Microscope. It is supposed that a single Feather
contains no less than a Million of different Parts.
“6. Flies are found by the Microscope to be produced from Eggs
laid by the Mothers, from whence they are hatched in the Form of Maggots,
or small Worms, which are afterwards transformed into Aurelias, and
these into perfect Flies. This is the Process most of the winged Insects
go through in their Production. They have a great Number of Eyes fixed
to their Heads, so that they see on all Sides around them, without turning
their Heads or Eyes. A common Fly is supposed to have eight thousand,
and a great Drone Fly no less than fourteen thousand Eyes, with a distinct
optic Nerve to each; and each Eye appears through the Microscope, tho'
magnified many hundred thousand Times, more exactly shaped, and more
curiously polished, than human Art could finish an Object as large as
the whole Cluster, containing seven thousand distinct ones. The Wings
of Flies, especially of the Moth and Butterfly Kind, are found to be
contrived with admirable Art, to answer their Use, and with inimitable
Beauty and Ornament. The Dust, which sticks to the Fingers, when we
handle them, is found to be Feathers; each of which has its Quill and
vane Parts as compleat as that of a Fowl or a Goose, and are inserted
in the Film of the Wing, with the utmost Regularity of Arrangement.
With the Microscope, the Stings of Moths and Bees appear to be Instruments
finished to the highest Perfection; their Points, and saw-like Teeth,
being perfectly polished and sharp; whereas the Edge of a Razor appears
like that of a Butcher's Cleaver, and the Point of a Lancet like an
iron Spike just come from the Anvil.
“7. By the Help of the Microscope the innumerable and inconceivably
minute Animalcules in various Fluids are discovered, of the Existence
of which we have no Reason to suppose any Mortal had the least Suspicion,
till last Century. In the Melt of a single Cod-fish ten Times more living
Creatures are contained, than the Inhabitants of Europe, Asia, Africa
and America, taking it for granted, that all Parts of the World are
as well peopled as Holland, which is very far from being the Case. Of
a certain Species some are discovered so extremely minute, that it has
been computed, three Millions of them, or three Times the Number of
the Inhabitants of London and Westminster, would not equal the Bulk
of a Grain of Sand. Of Animalcules, some Species resemble Tadpoles,
Serpents or Eels, others are of a roundish or oval Form, others of very
curiously turned and various Shapes; but in general they are extremely
vigorous and lively, and almost constantly in Motion. Animalcules are
to be found (besides those in the Bodies of Animals) in the Infusions
of Pepper, Senna, Pinks, Roses, Jessamin, Tea, Rasberry Stalks, Fennel,
Sage, Melons, sour Grapes, Wheat, Hay, Straw, and almost all vegetable
Substances; in the Water, that is in the Shells of Oysters, Cockles
and other Shell-fish, in the Foulness upon our Teeth, and those of other
Animals, in our Skins when affected with certain Diseases; in Vinegar,
and Paste, and so on infinitely. In each of these Substances, when exposed
to the Air some Time, Multitudes of living Creatures, beyond the Reach
of Numbers, are discovered, of which many Hundreds of Species are already
known, as different from one another as those of the largest Animals,
and very probably there are many more yet unknown. As it is certain,
that in the above mentioned Fluids few or no Animalcules are to be found,
when covered from the Air, but when open to the Access of the Air, their
Numbers are beyond reckoning; it is hardly to be doubted, but that either
the Air is replete with infinite Multitudes of living Creatures too
small for Sight, which come and deposite their Eggs in Places proper
for the Nutrition of the Young, or that their Eggs are floating every
where in the Air, and falling promiscuously every where, only those
are hatched, or come to Perfection, which fall upon Places fitted for
them, and the other perish. However it is, the countless Numbers of
those living Creatures, the Profusion of Life every where to be observed
is above Measure astonishing, and shews the Maker to be an infinite
Being.
“8. By the Help of the Microscope, we find that the Scales of
almost every different Fish are different from those of others, in internal
Texture; and that all of them are wrought with surprising Art and Beauty.
“9. By Means of this noble Instrument we find, that the Seeds
of almost all Manner of Vegetables contain in them the Stamina of the
future Plant or Tree, and that their Production from the Seed, and their
Growth to Maturity is only the Swelling and Enlarging of the Stamina
by the Addition of nutritious Juices. It is probable the Manner of Production
and Growth of Animals is analogous to this. The Fertility of some Plants
is almost beyond Belief. One particularly is said by Naturalists to
produce annually a Million of Seeds from one. The Farina of Flowers
is found by the Help of the Microscope to be a regular organized Body,
and not a meer Dust, as it appears to the naked Eye, and is reasonably
supposed to be necessary to Fertility in Plants and Trees.
“10. By the Microscope have been discovered many singular Properties
of that most unaccountable of all Creatures the Polype, which is found
at the Bottom of Ditches, and standing Waters; whose Manner of Production,
Feeding and Digestion, are different from those of all other Animals.
The young ones come out of the Sides of the old, like Buds and Branches
from Trees, and at length drop off perfect Polypes. They do not seem
to be of different Sexes. They take in Worms, and other Sustenance,
by Means of a Sett of long Arms or Antennae, which surround their Mouths,
and after keeping them some Time in their Stomachs, throw them out again
the same Way. The Animal's Body consists of a single Cavity, like a
Tube or Gut, and what is wonderful, and almost beyond Belief, is that
it will live and feed after it is turned inside out, and even when cut
into a great many Pieces, each several Piece becomes a compleat Polype.
They are infested with a Kind of Vermin, as are almost all Animals from
the largest down to Bees and other Insects. These Vermin of the Body
of a Polype, after which, if it be cleared of them, it shall have the
devoured Parts grow up again, and become as compleat as ever. Some Polypes
have around their Mouths a Sort of Plume, which they whirl round, and
making with it an Eddy in the Water, draw in their Prey, and devour
it.
“11. By the Microscope it is found, that neither the Wood, the
Bark, the Root, the Leaves, the Fruit, nor even the Pith of the meanest
Vegetable is a Mass of crude or indigested Matter; but that every different
Species is different in its internal Structure, and all curiously and
delicately wrought. A Bit of Cork, cut extremely thin, a Slice of Oak
or Fir, or a Bit of Elder Pith, in the Microscope, are so many curious
Pieces of Mosaic Work. Even a Bit of Charcoal or burnt Wood appears
with the Microscope an admirable Object.
“12. By this Instrument it is found, that what we call Mouldiness
upon Flesh, Leather, or other Substances, is no other than a great Number
of extremely small, but perfect Plants, having Stalks and Tops like
Mushrooms, and sometimes an Appearance of Leaves. The Seeds of these
minute Plants must, in all Probability, be diffused universally through
the Air, and falling upon Substances fit for their Growth, spring up
in astonishing Profusion. There is, in short, no End of microscopic
Objects. A Sprig of Moss, with the Help of that Instrument, is found
to be a regular Plant, consisting of a Root, a Stock, Branches, Leaves,
etc. and Naturalists tell us, there are some Hundreds of different Species
of it. A Bit of Spunge before the Microscope is a curious Piece of Net-work.
Every different chymical Salt has its Parts differently figured. A Leaf
of a common stinging Nettle, the Beard of a wild Oat, the Surfaces of
some Pebble-stones, a Flake of Snow, a few Grains of Sand, or almost
any natural Thing, with this Instrument exhibit exquisite Beauties;
while, on the contrary, most delicate Works of Art, can by no Means
bear its Examination; but degenerate before it into Masses of Irregularity
and Deformity.”
Poor Richard’s Almanack, 1751 [pp1263-68, Franklin: Writings]