Hans Sloane wrote Letter L-432 of 13 February 1705 about recent letters and the Royal Society's good wishes
This letter is known only by reference in L.’s reply. The date is New Style, which was eleven days ahead of the Old Style date of 2 February 1705 used by Sloane in London.
In this letter, Hans Sloane writes that L.’s recent letters are translated into English and read with great pleasure. He adds the Society’s wishes that L. has a long and healthy life.
The letters that Sloane refers to are Letter L-428 of 4 November 1704 and Letter L-431 of 13 December 1704. They were translated by John Chamberlayne and read at the meetings of the Royal Society on 6 December 1704 O.S. and 31 January 1705 O.S., after both of which Leeuwenhoek “was ordered to be thanked”, which resulted in the present letter from Sloane. See Sir Hans Sloane’s secretarial minute books of Royal Society meetings, 1702-1707. Royal Society Manuscripts General, MS 557.2.4.
Letter 254 L-433 of 3 March 1705 to the Royal Society
I have received the letter which Your Honours had ordered the Secretary to write to me on the 2nd of February, and I saw in it that you had had my letters translated into English and that you had heard them read with great pleasure, which I was pleased to learn, and that you added wishes for a long life and good health. I am highly grateful for those wishes, and I wish Your Honours the same and that I may be able to serve you.
