Translated extract of a letter, from Antoni van Leeuwenhoek to Francisco Cornaro Observations of experiments with salts from pearls and from oyster shells Read at the Royal Society on 22 October 1707 Franesco Cornaro (1670-1734) was ambassador of the Republic of Venice from 1703 See EL/L4/10 for original letter Transcribed in 'Alle de brieven van Antoni van Leeuwenhoek', edited, illustrated and annotated by Committee of Dutch Scientists, vol 15, p 235 English translation printed in 'Philosophical Transactions', vol 25, no 311, p 2416 18 December 1705