Letter, from Antoni van Leeuwenhoek to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Delft

Reference number: EL/L1/22

Date: 09 October 1676

Description

Signed autograph
Discovery of five different 'animalcules' (micro-organisms - one possibly bacteria) in pepper-infused water and carries out experiments with rain-, well-, moat-, sea-, and river-water, and infusions of various spices; an account of the structure of a peppercorn, wheat, ginger; whether or not there are organisms in the air
Four figures in the margin (particles of pepper grain and in ginger-water)
Partial translation by Oldenburg see EL/L1/23
Transcribed and translated in 'Alle de brieven van Antoni van Leeuwenhoek', edited, illustrated and annotated by Committee of Dutch Scientists, vol 2, p 61
For summary see 'The correspondence of Henry Oldenburg', ed and trans by A Rupert Hall & Marie Boas Hall, vol 13, p 82
Partial translation printed in 'Philosophical Transactions', vol 12, no 133, p 821
B&W negative, first page only, Box N101. IM/005317

Reference number: EL/L1/22
Earliest possible date: 09 October 1676
Page extent: 18 pages
Format: Manuscript
Also available on Early Modern Letters Online: View

Creator name

Antoni van Leeuwenhoek

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Citation

Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, Letter, from Antoni van Leeuwenhoek to Henry Oldenburg, dated at Delft, 09 October 1676, EL/L1/22, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/el_l1_22/letter-from-antoni-van-leeuwenhoek-to-henry-oldenburg-dated-at-delft, accessed on 09 October 2024

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Related Publications

Observations, communicated to the publisher by Mr. Antony van Leewenhoeck, in a dutch letter of the 9th Octob. 1676. here English'd: concerning little animals by him observed in rain-well-sea- and snow water; as also in water wherein pepper had lain infused External link, opens in new tab.

Date: 25th March 1677

DOI: 10.1098/rstl.1677.0003

Related Records

Translated extract of a letter, from Antoni van Leeuwenhoek to Henry Oldenburg
Creator: Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Reference number: EL/L1/23

Hierarchy

This item is part of:

'Early letters': letters from correspondents in natural philosophy sent to the Royal Society and its Fellows
1613-1740 Reference number: EL
Early Letters L1 (Leeuwenhoek)
1674-1686 Reference number: EL/L1

Related Fellows

Henry Oldenburg
Recipient
Antoni van Leeuwenhoek
Author

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Dates: 1613-1740

The archival collection known as 'Early Letters' is composed of original manuscript letters sent to, or collected by, the Royal Society from English and foreign correspondents.

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