Proposed is a microtome, in particular an ultramicrotome, with an electrical drive (19) for the relative motion of the blade (9) and the specimen (7) and with an electronic control device (20) which controls the drive (19) to change the drive speed. In the cutting zone (S2) in which slice removal takes place, the cutting speed is lower. In order, after slice removal, to bring the moving part, e.g. the blade or the specimen, back into the position it must occupy for the next cutting stroke, a higher speed is called for. In order to optimise the cutting process and thus, if required, to reduce the cycle time, the invention calls for the profile of the relative speed between specimen (7) and blade (9) (cutting speed) within the cutting zone (S2) to differ from a constant-speed profile.