Micrographia: Some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies Made by Magnifying Glasses with Observations and Inquiries ThereuponHooke, Robert
History
Micrographia: Some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies Made by Magnifying Glasses with Observations and Inquiries Thereupon
Hooke, Robert
Magnifying glasses -- Early works to 1800; Microscopy -- Early works to 1800; Natural history -- Pre-Linnean works
inconveniences, I made but little use of.
My way for fixing both the Glass and Object to the Pedestal most
conveniently was thus: Upon one side of a round Pedestal AB, in the
sixth Figure of the first _Scheme_, was fixt a small Pillar CC, on this
was fitted a small Iron Arm D, which could be mov’d up and down, and
fixt in any part of the Pillar, by means of a small Screw E; on the end
of this Arm was a small Ball fitted into a kind of socket F, made in
the side of the Brass Ring G, through which the small end of the Tube
was screw’d; by means of which contrivance I could place and fix the
Tube in what posture I desir’d (which for many Observations was
exceeding necessary) and adjusten it most exactly to any Object.
For placing the Object, I made this contrivance; upon the end of a
small brass Link or Staple HH, I so fastned a round Plate II, that it
might be turn’d round upon its Center K, and going pretty stiff, would
stand fixt in any posture it was set; on the side of this was fixt a
small Pillar P, about three quarters of an inch high, and through the
top of this was thrust a small Iron pin M, whose top just stood over
the Center of the Plate; on this top I fixt a small Object, and by
means of these contrivances I was able to turn it into all kind of
positions, both to my Eye and the Light; for by moving round the small
Plate on its center, could move it one way, and by turning the Pin M, I
could move it another way, and this without stirring the Glass at all,
or at least but very little; the Plate likewise I could move to and fro
to any part of the Pedestal (which in many cases was very convenient)
and fix it also in any Position, by means of a Nut N, which was screw’d
on upon the lower part of the Pillar CC. All the other Contrivances are
obvious enough from the draught, and will need no description.
Now though this were the Instrument I made most use of, yet I have made
several other Tryals with other kinds of Microscopes, which both for
_matter_ and _form_ were very different from common spherical Glasses. I
have made a _Microscope_ with one piece of Glass, both whose surfaces were
_plains_. I have made another only with a _plano concave_, without any kind
of reflection, divers also by means of _reflection_. I have made others of
_Waters_, _Gums_, _Resins_, _Salts_, _Arsenick_, _Oyls_, and with divers
other _mixtures of watery_ and _oyly Liquors_. And indeed the subject is
capable of a great variety; but I find generally none more useful then that
which is made with _two Glasses_, such as I have already describ’d.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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