I remember in fourth grade there were these cardboard folders available with a classic short story in adolescent friendly, easy to digest comic book form printed upon them. I remember reading a lot of Poe stories, like The Pit and the Pendulum and such. There’s one story I remember liking, but I have no idea what the title was or who really wrote it. Here’s what I remember, the details may be sketchy. It was about a scientist who kills a friend to procure a very rare and expensive diamond which he uses to build a super powerful microscope. Viewing a droplet of water under the scope, he sees a beautiful woman and throughout the course of the story, he slowly becomes obsessed with her, until finally the water evaporates and he goes mad and ends up in an institution. Does this ring a bell to anyone? I’d really like to read the actual short story from where this comic came.
This doesn’t specifically answer your question, but it sounds like the series you are looking for is Classics Illustrated.
The site lacks description of all titles, but maybe something will jog your memory. Hope this helps.
“Penises don’t belong in the mouth, girls and boys. You’ve got the wrong hole there. Just like you wouldn’t shove pizza up your nose.”
-From the Brother Jed flyer-
I don’t recall the name, but I’m pretty sure that was a story by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
“What we have here is failure to communicate.” – Strother Martin, anticipating the Internet.
The story you’re looking for is The Diamond Lens by Fitz-James O’Brien.
I just found it online, in its entirety. I have it in print form in a great anthology put together by the SFWA (Shame on you, Chuck!) called The Road to Science Fiction vol. #1.
Ursa Major – how did you do that? I don’t mean the link, but how did you remember that you had the story in an anthology?
I’m just awed.
Unless that antho is the only one you own (and I’d bet my favorite cat that it’s not), how can you remember stuff like that?
Please tell me that you spent several hours looking through all your books to find out where this story was. Please? Cuz that’s what I’d have to do!
(Since the OP was answered, I’m hoping this question won’t be considered a hijack.)
Thanks. Thus ends my search.
AuntiePam,
I recognized the story when I read the OP, but didn’t recall the author or title. I just knew it was a very old and rather well known story. When I got home this evening I went straight to my handy Encyclopedia of Science Fiction by Chute and Nicholls and looked under the heading “Great and Small” which lists several influencial stories with a microcosmic theme. The Diamond Lens was one of them.
There aren’t that many SF stories that old(1858), and although I have dozens of anthologies, few of them have 19th century stories in them. The Road to Science Fiction just happened to be the first one I thought of when it came to really old SF.
Ursa Major – hope no one thinks I’m trying to pad my post count, but I wanted to thank you for the explanation. Thank you.
Sounds like an interesting reference work you have there too.