Denis de Dodart wrote to Christiaan Huygens about his admiration for Leeuwenhoek: "people of this merit should be pensioned as external academicians"
Some time in October 1677, Denis de Dodart wrote to his friend Christiaan Huygens.
Denis de Dodart (!634-1707) was physician to Louis XIV, doctor regent of the faculty of medicine, professor of pharmacy, and academician botanist after 1673. In 1699 he was created resident botanist of the Academy. He wrote on botany, pharmacy and chemistry.
In the letter to Huygens, Dodart mentions that he had contact with Leeuwenhoek, though he does not specify whether it was a personal visit or an exchange of letters. There is no evidence of any correspondence or visit. However, Dodart was impressed enough to muse to Huygens that "people of this merit", meaning Leeuwenhoek, "should be pensioned as external academicians".
The letter can be found in Leiden, Coll. Huygens as well as Huygens's Oeuvres Completes, vol. 8, p. 37-8, online at the DBNL,
It was impossible for me to return to La Haye. I asked for news of your health from M. le D. de Rohanés & I sent him your feelings on the squaring of M. Leibnitz's circle. The army leaves here, as I hope Monday 25 October to go camp at Leuse, and we go from there to Paris where I will not fail, Sir, to give you notice of what I will learn from the Academy in general or from your troubles in particular. I am with great respect & gratitude
Sir
Your very humble and very obedient servant Dodart.
Mr. Lewenhöck was very honest with me about your recommendation. This deserves a special thank you, but you have to spare your time. It seems to me that people of this merit should be pensioned as external academicians. We will not have all his Memoirs in French or Latin in one small volume.