[Illustration: _Optician_]
How woe begone he seems. I suppose he cannot find a pair of
spectacles to suit his dim eyes."
"And pray look at that pert young lady, who appears to be making
herself merry at the old gentleman's expence," cried Emily, "I hope she
is not his granddaughter. See how cunningly she looks through the glass
which she holds in her hand."
"She may not intend to make game of him," replied Mr. Durnford, "but
young people cannot be too cautious how they take liberties with those
who are so much their seniors. Perhaps, Maria, you can inform me, how
telescopes were first invented. The optician has got a very good sized
one on his counter."
"The invention is owing rather to chance than thought," said Miss
Durnford, modestly, "for if I remember right, the children of a
spectacle-maker at Middleburgh, in Zealand, playing in their father's
shop, held two glasses between their fingers at some distance from
each other, through which the weather-cock on the steeple appeared
much larger than usual, and as if near to them, but inverted.
They spoke of it to their father, who instantly thought of fixing
two glasses in brass circles, and placing them so as to be drawn
nearer or removed, by this means he found he could see objects more
distinctly."
"That happened about the year 1590;" said Mr. Durnford, "but none
of the telescopes there made were above eighteen inches long. The
celebrated Galileo, astronomer to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, improved
them; and the invention has often been ascribed to him. That was the
refracting telescope, but the reflecting telescope is the invention
of the great Sir Isaac Newton."
"I should like to have a microscope, papa," said Theodore.
"My telescope may be converted into a microscope, my dear," said
his father, "by removing the object-glass to a greater distance from
the eye-glass, as I will show you when we go home. It is generally
supposed, that we owe the invention of them to the Hollanders, and
that spectacles, so useful to the aged and the near-sighted, was
first invented by a monk of Pisa. The thermometer and barometer are
both very useful instruments. The former ascertains the degrees of
heat, and the latter the changes of the weather."
"Oh, mamma!" exclaimed Caroline, "only observe what an odd face that
old woman has got, who is examining with such strict attention that
nice large silk