Letter, from Antoni van Leeuwenhoek to the Royal Society, dated at Delft

Description

Signed autograph
Leeuwenhoek answers queries raised from letter dated 12 October 1685 (EL/L1/77) about the structure of cotton seed, the sweat glands of the skin and the slime of fish; examining the eggs of frogs; concerning the structure of bone; observations of the growth of tree bark, compares this to skin; observes the growth of human skin
Original figures now no longer exist
Two original packets of specimens of cotton seeds were attached to the letter. The original packets are labelled 'ten cotton seeds cut in 24 round discs'; 'Nine seeds from the cotton-tree which blew away..'. The original packets are now stored separately in an envelope alongside >70% of the original material in tissue paper. In 1981 Brian Ford separated two portions of the samples, 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.

English translation is EL/L2/2
Transcribed and translated in 'Alle de brieven van Antoni van Leeuwenhoek', edited, illustrated and annotated by Committee of Dutch Scientists, vol 6, p 3
English extract printed in 'Philosophical Transactions', vol 17, no 202, p 838
See 'The van Leeuwenhoek specimens' by Brian Ford in 'Notes and Records', vol 36, no 1, pp 37-59 at p 47 for further information

Reference number

EL/L2/1

Earliest possible date

02 April 1686

Page extent

16 pages

Format

Manuscript

Also available on Early Modern Letters Online

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