Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/410

 and many furnish us with an abundance of Rarities, both Natural and Artificial; of which we have been almost as much depriv'd by its present Masters, as if it had still remain'd a part of the unknown World.

lastly, to come nearer home, we have no ground to despair, but very much more Matter, which has been yet unhandled, may still be brought to light, even in the most civil and most peopled Countries; whose Lands have been thoroughly measur'd by the Hands of the most exact Surveyors; whose underground Riches have been accurately pry'd into; whose Cities, Islands, Rivers, and Provinces, have been describ'd by the Labours of Geographers. It is not to be doubted, but still there may be an infinite number of Creatures over our Heads, round about us, and under our Feet, in the large Space of the Air, in the Caverns of the Earth, in the Bowels of Mountains, in the Bottom of Seas, and in the Shades of Forests, which have hitherto escap'd all mortal Senses. In this the Microscope alone is enough to silence all Opposers. Before that was invented, the chief help that was given to the Eyes by Glasses, was only to strengthen the dim Sight of old Age; but now by the means of that excellent Instrument, we have a far greater Number of different kinds of Things reveal'd to us, than were contained in the visible Universe before; and even this is not yet brought to Perfection: The chief Labours that are publish'd in this way, have been the Observations of some Fellows of the Royal Society, nor have they as yet apply'd it to all Subjects, nor tried it in all Materials and Figures of Glass.

To the Eyes therefore there may still be given a vast addition of Objects: And proportionably to