Essay Review: The History of the Microscope: Das Mikroskop. Theorie,Gebrauch,Geschichte und gegenwärtiger Zustand desselben

For details of his life, see Pieter Harting 1812–1885. Mijne Herinneringen (Amsterdam, 1961).

For a graph of the increase in resolving power during this period, see Turner G. L'E. , “The microscope as a technical frontier in science”, in Historical aspects of microscopy, ed. Bradbury S. Turner G. L'E. (Cambridge, 1967), 189.

Friedrich Wilhelm Theile (1801–79) was Professor of Anatomy at Bern, 1834–53.

The various earlier editions are: Het Mikroskoop. Deszelfs gebruik, geschiedenis en tegenwoordige toestand, een Handboek voor Natuur- en Geneeskundigen, parts I & II (Utrecht, 1848), part III (Utrecht, 1850); De nieuwste verbeteringen van het Mikroskoop en zijn gebruik, sedert 1850 (Tiel, 1858); Das Mikroskop. Theorie, Gebrauch, Geschichte und gegenwärtiger Zustand desselben, Transl. Theile F. W. (Brunswick, 1859).

John [Thomas] Quekett, A practical treatise on the use of the microscope, including the different methods of preparing and examining animal, vegetable, and mineral structures (London, 1848). Later editions were published in 1852 and 1855.

Hogg Jabez , The microscope: Its history, construction, and applications. Being a familiar introduction to the use of the instrument and the study of microscopical science (London, 1854). Later editions were published in 1855, 1858, 1859, 1861, 1867, 1869 (7th), 1883 (10th), 1898 (15th), 1911 (15th reprinted).

Carpenter William B. , The microscope: And its revelations (London, 1856). Later editions were published in 1857, 1862, 1868, 1875, 1881, 1891, 1901. The last two editions were edited by W. H. Dallinger.

Carpenter , op. cit., 1st edn, v.

Harting , Das Mikroskop, 2nd edn, Book I, v–vi (reviewer's translation).

For a development of this theme, see Turner G. L'E. , “Micrographia historica: The study of the history of the microscope” (the second Quekett Memorial Lecture, 11 November 1971), Proceedings of the Royal Microscopical Society, vii, pt 2 (March 1972), 120–49. For a bibliography of studies on the history of the microscope, see Turner G. L'E. , “The history of optical instruments. A brief survey of sources and modern studies”, History of science, viii (1969), 53–93.

Quekett , op. cit., 1st edn, viii.

van der Star's P. foreword to the 1970 Amsterdam reprint of Das Mikroskop, p. [i] (reviewer's translation).

Mayall John Jr , Cantor lectures on the microscope (London, 1886), also published in 1886 in Journal of the Society of Arts.

Disney Alfred N. , ed., with collaboration of Cyril F. Hill & Wilfred E. Watson, Origin and development of the microscope, as illustrated by catalogues of the instruments and accessories, in the collections of the Royal Microscopical Society, together with bibliographies or original authorities…. Preceded by an historical survey on the early progress of optical science by the editor (London, 1928).

Clay Reginald S. Court Thomas H. , The history of the microscope compiled from original instruments and documents, up to the introduction of the achromatic microscope (London, 1932).

For an indication of the extent of the trade, see Taylor E. G. R. , The mathematical practitioners of Hanovarian England 1714–1840 (Cambridge, 1966).

Bradbury S. , The evolution of the microscope (Oxford, 1967); abridged edition, The microscope past and present (Oxford, 1968).

Bradbury S. Turner G. L'E. , eds, Historical aspects of microscopy. Papers read at a one-day conference held by the Royal Microscopical Society at Oxford, 18 March, 1966 (Cambridge, 1967). The papers are: Crombie A. C. , “The mechanistic hypothesis and the scientific study of vision: Some optical ideas as a background to the invention of the microscope”; Needham Joseph Gwei-Djen Lu , “The Optick Artists of Chiangsu”; Levene J. R. , “Early studies in visual optics, with particular reference to the mechanism of accommodation”; Bradbury S. , “The quality of the image produced by the compound microscope: 1700–1840”; Turner G. L'E. , “The microscope as a technical frontier in science”; Mulvey T. , “The history of the electron microscope”.