perspective glassn.

1570 J. Dee in H. Billingsley tr. Euclid Elements Geom. Math. Præf. sig. bj He may wonderfully helpe him selfe, by perspectiue Glasses.

1614 W. Raleigh Hist. World i. i. vii. §2 100 A worthy Astrologer [sc. Galileo] now liuing, who by the helpe of perspectiue glasses hath found in the starres many things vnknown to the ancients.

1616 J. Lane Contin. Squire's Tale viii. 119 But these (thoughe glorious newes) much yerkd Canac, Whoe viewinge all in her perspective glasse, found they weare mingled sweete, sowr, pleasant, bitter.

1674 London Gaz. No. 931/4 To be sold at the Sign of the Royal Exchange,..all sorts of Perspective Glasses, as well Telescopes as Microscopes.

1727 A. Pope et al. Περι Βαθους: Art of Sinking 19 in J. Swift et al. Misc.: Last Vol. His Eyes should be like unto the wrong end of a Perspective Glass, by which all the Objects of Nature are lessen'd.

1837 W. Whewell Hist. Inductive Sci. I. v. iii. 393 Observed by Galileo Galilei..by the assistance of a perspective glass.

1852 W. M. Thackeray Henry Esmond II. x. 174 We have but to change the point of view, and the greatest action looks mean; as we turn the perspective-glass, and a giant appears a pigmy.

1859 C. Dickens Tale of Two Cities ii. v. 15 If a girl..swoons within a yard or two of a man's nose, he can see it without a perspective-glass.

1948 E. M. Butler Myth of Magus ii. iii. 151 Two youths begged him to let them look into his magic mirror, the famous ‘perspective glass’, in order to see how their fathers fared at home.

1992 ‘J. Gash’ Lies of Fair Ladies (1993) vii. 48 He made ‘perspective glasses’, telescopes.