Wrote Letter 2 of 1673-08-15 (AB 2) to Henry Oldenburg

Date:

August 15, 1673

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Text of the letter in the original Dutch and in English translation from Alle de Brieven. The Collected Letters at the DBNL - De Digitale Bibliotheek voor de Nederlandse Letteren

Leeuwenhoek wrote this letter to Henry Oldenburg about the bee; movement of liquids in wood and food in louse; composition of air.

Leeuwenhoek's second letter:

followed up on the observations from his first letter
added more observations of the bee
added observations about wood
described his experiment with capillary tubes to learn how fluids rose in trees
enclosed a drawing of the tubes he used

Leeuwenhoek's summary

The letter opens (text from Alle de Brieven / Collected Letters vol. 1, p. 43):

I have several times been pressed by various gentlemen to put on paper what I have seen through my recently invented microscope. I have constantly declined to do so, first because I have no style or pen to express my thoughts properly, secondly because I have not been brought up in languages or arts, but in trade, and thirdly because I do not feel inclined to stand blame or refutation from others.

Pressed by Dr. Reg. de Graaf I have thought better of my intention and given him a memorial of what I observed concerning mould, the sting and some articulations of the bee, and also the sting of the louse, which memorial he (Mr. de Graaf) has forwarded to you and informed me of your reply. I see from this that my observations were not unwelcome to the Royal Society, and that these Gentlemen were anxious to see the figures of the sting and articulations of the bee which there I state to have seen.

As I am not a draughtsman myself, I have had them drawn for me, but the proportions have not been observed as accurately as I could have wished. Also each figure has been seen and drawn through a particular magnifying glass; I am sending you these enclosed.

I beg you and the Gentlemen under whose eyes this happens to come, to bear in mind that my observations and opinions are only the result of my own impulse and curiosity and that there are in this town no amateurs who, like me, dabble in this art. Take my simple pen, my boldness and my opinions for what they are; they follow without any particular order.

Of 3 ink figures, only 2 were published in Philosophical Transactions, both of straight capillary tubes (right). The third is also a capillary tube, but it is bent in a U-shape. The much shorter part is thicker and has a plunger inserted into the open end.

Publication history

Related sources and first editions only of Leeuwenhoek's volumes of letters. For later editions see Related events under Learn more.

Year	Author	Title
1665	various	Philosophical Transactions
1674	Leeuwenhoek, A. van	Considerations of Mr. Leewenhoeck, Touching the Compression of the Air; Sent to the Publisher in His Letter of August 15. 1673
1674	Leeuwenhoek, A. van	More Microscopical Observations Made by the Same M. Leewenhoeck, and Promised in Numb. 97. of These Tracts; Communicated in His Letters of August 15. 1673 and of April 7. 1674
1754 - 1787	Berryat, J. (ed.)	Collection académique
1779 - 1780	Leske, N. G.	Abhandlungen zur Naturgeschichte, Physik und Oekonomie
1939	Leeuwenhoek, A. van	Alle de Brieven. The Collected Letters. Volume 1

Notes

Oldenburg published this letter in two parts in number 102, April 27, 1674.

The second part of the letter, about compressing air, was printed first, on page 21. Only it had figures printed with it.

The first part of the letter, with further observations following on the letter of April 1673, was printed second, starting on page 23. That article also included excerpts from the letter of April 7, 1674.

Learn more

1673: Exceedingly curious and industrious

Period 1 - 1673-1679

Leeuwenhoek's language: "untidy word avalanches"

What did Leeuwenhoek say about his own writing?

Specimens: Currant bush and seeds

Related people:

Henry Oldenburg

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Life in Holland

in the 1600's

Work in Holland

in the 1600's

Wrote Letter 2 of 1673-08-15 (AB 2) to Henry Oldenburg

Life in Holland

in the 1600's