The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1843-07-27
From Shaw's Nature Displayed.
MICROSCOPIC PHENOMENA.

What we have considered makes blu
small portion of the wonders which are
unfolded to us by the microscope. Thl!
instrument has introduced us to a new
world of vegetables and animals, and de-
monstrated that there are equal ordel
and harmony in the mites construction
as that of the whale or elephant. The
only difference is, our weakness ofsigh
prevents our penetrating into the nature
and organization of small bodies, which
often escape our eyes, and can be per.
ceived only by the assistance ofglasses,
which teach us that the smallest objects,
wholly unknown to our torefathers,
have extension, parts, and well organ
lied, although so minute, form. The
mention of some examples will lead us
to acknowledge the power, and wisdom,
and goodness of that Deity who affords
unto all existence and happiness.
Grains of sand appear of the same
form to the naked eye, but seen through
a microscope exhibit different shapes
and sizes, g lobular, square, concal and
mostly irregular: and what is more sur
prising, in their cavities have been found
by the microscope, insects of various
kinds. Tn decayed cheese are multi
tudes of little worms, called mites, which
to the naked eye, appear like moving
particles, but the microscope prove them
of very singular and curious figure
They have eyes, mouth, feet, and
trans parent body, furnished with long
hair in the form of prickles.
The mouldy substance or damp bod
les exhibits a region of minute plants.
Sometimes it appears forest Of trees,
whose branches, leaves, flowers, and
fruits, are clearly distinguished. Some
of the flowers have long, white tram
sparent stalks, and the buds before they
open, are little green balls, which be-
come white. The PARTICLES Of dust on
the wings Off butterfly, prove, by the
microscope to be beautiful and we'll ar
ranged little feathers.
BY the same instrument the surface of
our skin has scales resembling those of
fish; but so mi mute, that single grain
would cover $50, and single scale COW
ers 500 pores, whence issues the insen-
sible Precipitation necessary to health
consequently single grain of sand can
cover 125, 900 pores of the human body. |
The microscope displays, in each OBJ
iect, a thousand others which escapes
recognition, in each of which others re-
main unseen, which even the microscope
can never bring to view. What Won
ders should we see, could we continually
improve those glasses invented to assist
our slight Imagination may, in some
measure, supply the defect of our eyes,
and serve as a mental microscope, to
represent, in each atom, thousands of
new and invisible worlds.
In contemplation of the works of God,
the effects of his wisdom and goodness
are as evidently displayed in the spi-
der's web, as in those laws which con-
meet the sun and his circumrevolving
planets. The microscope discovers in
miniature, new worlds, which ought to
excite mans wonder, and urge him to
religious reverence. Persons deprived
of opportunity TO axamine the curious
objects displayed by the microscope,
will be glad to know what has been seen
by others, and what themselves may
contemp ate with delight.
The masses and grass with which the
earth is covered as with a carpet, are y,
COMPOSED of many threads and small ;
PARTICLES, into which they are divisible.
The particles Of water are so small, that .
millions of animalcues may be suspend !
ed on the point Of needle; how many, {
hen, must there be on the rivers and
seas From a lighted candle there is ,
sue, in one minute, more particles of ,
light than there are grains of sand in the ,
whole earth how vast, then the numb =
sr that flow in a day, or year, or GEN.
ury, from that immense body, the sun a
How indefinitely small must these par =
icles of odiferous bodies be, which af- !;
-ect large spaces for days and even -,
weeks, without any sensible loss of their +
weight. :
Let us pass to the animated creation /,
In a summers evening the air swarms 9
with living cratures.
Each drop of stagnant water contains :
little world of animated beings. Each )
leaf of tree is colony of insects,
every plant, every flower affords food ,
for millions of creatures Who but h.
must have seen the innumerable swarms i,
Of flies, gnats, and other insects collec-
led in the compass Of a few yards p y
What prodigious shoals must there be +
over the whole earth = in the immense .
sxpanse Of the atmosphere ! How +
many millions of smaller insects and +,
worms crawl on the ground or live be- ',
meath its surface =
Did not experiments and observations +
~ the microscope prove the fact, it :
would be incredible that there are ami
nails, a million times smaller than a
,rain Of sand, yet endowed with organs