| RefNo | EL/L2/16 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Letter, from Antoni van Leeuwenhoek to the Royal Society, dated at Delft |
| Creator | Leeuwenhoek; Antoni van (1632-1723); Dutch tradesman and scientist |
| Date | 17 October 1687 |
| Description | Signed autograph
Observations of amber; observations of 'burned paper' from the sky (in retrospect is dried-up algal) (sample was enclosed with letter); observations of rotifers (microscopic aquatic animals), maggots, blow flies and the possibilities of their reproduction; the stinging hairs of nettles; observations of the East-Indian centipede
11 original figures no longer exist; engraved figures for publication are attached
Three small packets of specimens were attached to the final sheet of letter, now stored separately in an envelope. The packets are labelled: 1. 'paper which in 1686, 14 or 15 March in Courland, was said to have fallen from the sky'; 2. 'dried film which covered the suppled paper found in Courlant, having fallen from the sky'; 3. 'Film which lay adrift in a barrel, dried on paper'.The original packets still contain >70% of the original material. The rest was separated in three portions in 1981 by Brian Ford, a first portion was placed in separate packets, kept in an envelope; a second portion of the samples were sputtered in gold and are kept in a separate container; a third portion of the algal specimens were wet-teased and kept in a slide-box.
Transcribed and translated in 'Alle de brieven van Antoni van Leeuwenhoek', edited, illustrated and annotated by Committee of Dutch Scientists, vol 7, p 81
See 'The van Leeuwenhoek specimens' by Brian Ford in 'Notes and Records', vol 36, no 1, pp 37-59 at p 48 for further information |
| Language | Dutch |
| Extent | 23p |
| Format | Manuscript and Printed |
| Place origin | Delft, South Holland, (United Provinces) Netherlands |
| Origin coordinates | 52.00667, 4.35556 |
| Digital images | View item on Science in the Making |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| RelatedMaterial | DOI: 10.1098/rsnr.1981.0003 |
| RelatedRecord | MOB/013 |
| URLDescription | Also available on Early Modern Letters Online |
| URL | http://emlo.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/profile/work/ff7d28a7-7301-430d-bbf1-d8b8afaad8ba |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA8438 | Leeuwenhoek; Antoni van (1632 - 1723); tradesman and microscopist | 1632 - 1723 |