Visited by Gilbert and Thomas Burnet
Gilbert Burnet (1643-1715) was bishop of Salisbury and his brother Thomas Burnet (1632?-1715?) was the personal physician of Queen Anne. On 2 August 1707, their sons Guiliemus, age 20, and Gilbertus, 17, matriculated at the university in Leiden to study theology. Son Thomas, 14, matriculated to study law. They were presumably with their fathers when they visited Leeuwenhoek.
On 12th of July 1707, Leeuwenhoek wrote:
To the Very Noble Sirs, Gentlemen of the Royal Society in London. My last humble letter to you, Very Noble Sirs, was that of the 5th inst.; since then I have received the Transactions Nos 301 to 309, as also a list of the Royal Society, for which I am highly grateful.
I also received, on the 7th inst., via Mr. Burnett, one of the members of the Royal Society, a letter written by Mr. Hans Sloane, dated the 23rd of April 1707, which was very welcome to me and in which this gentleman also intimates that for a long time past no letters have been received from me. I showed several of my discoveries to Mr. Burnett and his brother, and since they wished to see the circulation of the blood, I complied with this, which greatly pleased them.
