Chronology of events: 1678--1682

For some events, the year is certain but the month and day are not. Example: We know only the year for the collections of Leeuwenhoek's letters published in Dutch during his lifetime.

For other events, the season or month are certain but the day is not. Example: Leeuwenhoek mentions that someone visited him "last month".

On the other hand, many events did indeed happen on the first day of a month. Example: public appointments to Delft's city offices took effect on January 1 of each year. Thus:

  • A date of January 1 in a given year may indicate that the year is certain but the month and day are not.
  • A date of 1 in a given month may indicate that the year and month are certain but the day is not.

Unless otherwise indicated, for events in England, the date given is Old Style, 10 days behind the Dutch Republic's New Style until 1700 and then 11 days behind.

Date
January 1, 1678 Robert Hooke's Lectures and Collections: Cometa, Microscopium published
January 1, 1678 Nehemiah Grew and Robert Hooke wrote to Leeuwenhoek asking him to further observe sperm
January 14, 1678 Wrote Letter 23 of 1678-01-14 (AB 37) to Robert Hooke
February 1, 1678 Empowered a Gouda notary to sell Vermeer's property to help pay Catherine Bolnes's creditors
February 28, 1678 Christiaan Huygens began series of observations of microbes replicating and expanding on Leeuwenhoek's
March 14, 1678 Robert Hooke read his paper about his microscopic observations and methods
March 18, 1678 Wrote Letter 24 of 1678-03-18 (AB 38) to Nehemiah Grew
April 18, 1678 Robert Hooke wrote to Leeuwenhoek that King Charles saw the little animals in pepper water
April 28, 1678 Jan Swammerdam called Leeuwenhoek "biased, and reasons in a very barbarical way"
May 9, 1678 niece Maria Jans de Molijn buried
May 31, 1678 Wrote Letter 25 of 1678-05-31 (AB 39) to Nehemiah Grew
June 13, 1678 Christiaan Huygens wrote to Nehemiah Grew about seeing the sperm in human semen
July 4, 1678 Lambert Twent named first postmaster of Delft
September 27, 1678 Wrote Letter 26 of 1678-09-27 (AB 40) to Nehemiah Grew
October 14, 1678 sister Margrieta Philips Leeuwenhoek buried
October 31, 1678 Christiaan Huygens's method of melting powdered glass to make a spherical lens
November 6, 1678 daughter Maria registered as a member of the Hervormde Gemeente Delft (Reformed Church in Delft)
December 26, 1678 Wrote letter of 1678-12-26 (AB 41) to Constantijn Huygens
January 25, 1679 Authorized to administer the estate of Ernst Gerrits de Bruijn
February 10, 1679 Appointed curator; Johannes Blaucamer guarantor
February 21, 1679 Wrote Letter 27 of 1679-02-21 (AB 42) to Nehemiah Grew
April 1, 1679 cousin Maerten Huijchs Leeuwenhoek appointed tax master
April 12, 1679 Lambert van Velthuysen wrote to Leeuwenhoek about some of his observations
April 25, 1679 Wrote Letter 28 of 1679-04-25 (AB 43) to Nehemiah Grew
April 27, 1679 Wrote letter of 1679-04-27 (AB 44) to Constantijn Huygens
May 1, 1679 Visited by James, Duke of York, and "several high personages"
May 4, 1679 mentor Constantijn Huygens called Leeuwenhoek the "magician of Delft"
May 11, 1679 Wrote letter of 1679-05-11 (AB 45) to Lambert van Velthuysen
May 15, 1679 Wrote letter of 1679-05-15 (AB 46) to Christiaan Huygens
May 20, 1679 Wrote letter of 1679-05-20 (AB 47) to Constantijn Huygens
June 13, 1679 Wrote letter of 1679-06-13 (AB 48) to Nehemiah Grew
June 13, 1679 Wrote letter of 1679-06-13 (AB 49) to Lambert van Velthuysen
July 11, 1679 Wrote letter of 1679-07-11 (AB 50) to Lambert van Velthuysen
August 15, 1679 Appointed city inspector of imported and exported liquids / wine gauger
August 25, 1679 Called "an unlearned, but ingenious man" by Peter Pels
September 4, 1679 colleague Nicolaas van der Sloot appointed co-wine gauger
September 17, 1679 Paid tax on his personal stock of wijn
October 13, 1679 Wrote letter of 1679-10-13 (AB 51) to Robert Hooke
October 30, 1679 cousin Pieter Abrahams Hogenhouck buried
November 1, 1679 Philosophical Collections number 1 published in London; one letter by Leeuwenhoek
November 14, 1679 Wrote letter of 1679-11-14 (AB 52) to Lambert van Velthuysen
November 20, 1679 Wrote letter of 1679-11-20 (AB 53) to Robert Hooke
January 12, 1680 Wrote Letter 29 of 1680-01-12 (AB 54) to Robert Hooke
January 16, 1680 Wrote letter of 1680-01-16 (AB 55) to Robert Hooke
January 23, 1680 Robert Hooke inquired whether Leeuwenhoek would accept election to the Royal Society
February 7, 1680 microscopist Jan Swammerdam died
February 8, 1680 Elected a Fellow by the Royal Society
February 13, 1680 Wrote letter of 1680-02-13 (AB 56) to Robert Hooke
February 18, 1680 cousin Margaretha (Grietjen) Huijchs Leeuwenhoek married Gijsbert Pieterse Cruijt
February 22, 1680 Thomas Gale authorized by the Royal Society to send diploma with seal to Leeuwenhoek
March 1, 1680 The Royal Society discussed Leeuwenhoek's diploma
March 4, 1680 The Royal Society discussed a silver box for Leeuwenhoek's diploma
March 7, 1680 Thomas Gale sent Leeuwenhoek official notice of his election as member of the Royal Society
March 14, 1680 The Royal Society further discussed Leeuwenhoek's diploma
April 5, 1680 Wrote Letter 30 of 1680-04-05 (AB 57) to Robert Hooke
April 12, 1680 Robert Hooke sent Leeuwenhoek official notice of his election as member of the Royal Society
May 13, 1680 Wrote letter of 1680-05-13 (AB 58) to Members of the Royal Society
May 13, 1680 Wrote letter of 1680-05-13 (AB 59) to Robert Hooke
May 13, 1680 Wrote Letter 31 of 1680-05-13 (AB 60) to Thomas Gale
June 14, 1680 Wrote letter of 1680-06-14 (AB 61) to Robert Hooke
June 14, 1680 Wrote Letter 32 of 1680-06-14 (AB 62) to Thomas Gale
August 9, 1680 Wrote letter of 1680-08-09 (AB 63) to Robert Hooke
August 13, 1680 Constantijn Huygens, jr., called Leeuwenhoek "the great man of the century"
September 28, 1680 Wrote letter of 1680-09-28 (AB 64) to Thomas Gale
November 12, 1680 Wrote Letter 33 of 1680-11-12 (AB 65) to Robert Hooke
January 1, 1681 Sat for Cornelis de Man's Anatomy Lesson of Dr. 's Gravezande
January 8, 1681 Appointed curator of the abandoned estate of Willemtie Pieters Touw
April 29, 1681 cousin Jannitgen Huijchs Leeuwenhoek buried
June 8, 1681 cousin Maria Maertens Leeuwenhoek married Jan den Appel
June 17, 1681 co-worker Daniel Bogaert buried
August 9, 1681 nephew Anthonij Jans de Molijn married Magdalena van Poelgeest
November 4, 1681 Wrote Letter 34 of 1681-11-04 (AB 66) to Robert Hooke
December 3, 1681 Members of the Royal Society discussed Leeuwenhoek's microscopes
December 10, 1681 Philosophical Collections number 3 published in London; one letter by Leeuwenhoek
January 1, 1682 Visited by Cornelis Bontekoe
January 10, 1682 Philosophical Collections number 4 published in London; one letter by Leeuwenhoek
January 28, 1682 Received fees from new citizens in the name of the city's camerbewaarders and messengers
February 1, 1682 Philosophical Collections number 5 published in London; one letter by Leeuwenhoek
March 3, 1682 Wrote Letter 35 of 1682-03-03 (AB 67) to Robert Hooke
March 10, 1682 Robert Hooke wrote to Leeuwenhoek that his observations were well received by the Royal Society
March 16, 1682 Robert Hooke wrote to Leeuwenhoek that his observations of shellfish muscles were well received by the Royal Society and concurred with his own
April 1, 1682 Philosophical Collections number 7 published in London; one letter by Leeuwenhoek
April 4, 1682 Wrote Letter 36 of 1682-04-04 (AB 68) to Robert Hooke
July 28, 1682 Wrote letter of 1682-07-28 (AB 69) to Robert Hooke
November 19, 1682 Sold two bonds from the property of Willem Bolnes to help pay Catherina Bolnes' creditors