ClipArt ETC
"Speculum, a mirror, a looking-glass. The looking-glasses of the ancients were usually made of metal, at first of a composition of tin and copper, but afterwards more frequently of silver. The ancients seem to have had glass mirrors also like ours, consisting of a glass plate covered at the back with a thin leaf of metal. They were manufactured as early as the time of Pliny at the celebrated glass-houses at Sidon, but they must have been inferior to those of metal, since they never came into general use, and are never mentioned by ancient writers among costly pieces of furniture, whereas metal mirrors frequently are. Looking-glasses were generally small, and such as could by carried in the hand. Instead of their being fixed so as to be hung against the wall or to stand upon the table or floor, they were generally held by female slaves before their mistresses when dressing. The general form of looking-glasses is shown in the following wood-cut." — Smith, 1873

Speculum

"Speculum, a mirror, a looking-glass. The looking-glasses of the ancients were usually made of metal,…

An ornamental plant, of the campanulaceae.

Specularia Speculum

An ornamental plant, of the campanulaceae.

"The following description of a section of Lord Rosse's telescope, though not so perfect as could be desired, is the best we could obtain. it exhibits a view of the inside of the eastern wall, with the tube, and machinery by which it is moved. A is the mason-work on the ground; B the universal joint, which allows the tube to turn in all directions; C the speculum in the tube; E the eye-piece through which the observer looks; F a pulley by which the tube is moved; H a chain attached to the pulley, and to the side of the tube; I, a chain running to K, the counterpoise; L, a lever connecting the chain M with the tube; Z another chain which passes from the upper part of the tube over a pulley at W, (not seen) and crosses to the opposite wall; X a railroad on which the speculum is drawn either to or from the tube. The dotted line H, shows the course of the weight R, as the tube rises or falls. The tube is moved from wall to wall by a ratchet wheel at R, which is turned by the lever O, on the circle N, the ends of which are fixed in the two walls." —Comstock, 1850

Telescope

"The following description of a section of Lord Rosse's telescope, though not so perfect as could be…