Visited by Hermaan Boerhaave, Frederik Ruysch, and Abraham van Bleiswijk
At some point in early September, Boerhaave, Ruysch, and van Bleiswijk visited Leeuwenhoek, then about to turn 84. Leeuwenhoek mentioned these visits over the following two months in letters to Van Bleiswijk and Boerhaave. He never wrote any letters to Ruysch.
Letter XXVII of 1716-09-17 (AB??) to Abraham van Bleiswijk
When I had the honour that You and the Gentlemen Professors Boerhaave and Ruysch came to visit me, and took delight in some of my discoveries; and Mr Boerhaave taking his leave of me with the best wishes for my health and long life, then I replied to that Gentleman that I would not be long for this world; because, in view of my ripe old age the internal parts, that is to say the intestines, were, as it were, worn out; and because the time was already past that the Gentlemen were to depart, my further speech was cut short.
Letter XXVIII of 1716-09-28 (AB??) to Herman Boerhaave
I was very pleased to have the honour of receiving the visit of you, highly-learned and highly-famous Sir, together with the gentleman professor Ruysch, at my house. And even more so, when I saw that Your Honour was very well pleased with some of my discoveries and observations. I take the liberty to send to Your Honour these notes of mine on the coconut-tree and its fruit.
Boerhaave replied on October 10, so Leeuwenhoek wrote another letter to him dated 1716-11-05.
