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 Nehemiah Grew and Robert Hooke wrote to Leeuwenhoek asking him to further observe sperm
January 1, 1678 Robert Hooke's Lectures and Collections: Cometa, Microscopium published
January 14, 1678 Wrote Letter 23 of 1678-01-14 (AB 37) to Robert Hooke about human blood, blood transfusions, flea larvae, and little animals in pepper water
January 27, 1678 Robert Hooke read Letter 23 of 1678-01-14
February 1, 1678 Empowered a Gouda notary to sell Vermeer's property to help pay Catherine Bolnes's creditors
February 1, 1678 Robert Hooke wrote to Leeuwenhoek verifying his observations in pepper water
February 3, 1678 Robert Hooke produced two experiments on blood and milk and read the latter part of the letter of 1678-01-14 about phlegm and little animals in pepper water
February 11, 1678 Robert Hooke wrote to Leeuwenhoek about how he verified Leeuwenhoek’s observations of little animals in a pepper infusion
February 28, 1678 Christiaan Huygens began series of observations of microbes replicating and expanding on Leeuwenhoek's
March 17, 1678 Robert Hooke showed the Royal Society microscopical observations of tendons and little animals in anise and coffee
March 18, 1678 Wrote Letter 24 of 1678-03-18 (AB 38) to Nehemiah Grew
March 24, 1678 Robert Hooke read his paper about his microscopic observations and methods
April 7, 1678 Robert Hooke showed the Royal Society microscopical observations of muscle from a lobster's claw
April 28, 1678 Jan Swammerdam called Leeuwenhoek "biased, and reasons in a very barbarical way"
April 28, 1678 Robert Hooke wrote to Leeuwenhoek that King Charles saw the little animals in pepper water
May 5, 1678 Robert Hooke showed the Royal Society microscopical observations of the motion and composition of muscles
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 6, 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 about cod sperm and about not finding any little animals in blood or saliva
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 about living little animals in fish, hare, and dogs and his calculation that more than ten times as many living animals come from the milt of a cod as there are people living on the Earth
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
July 20, 1679 Robert Hooke read his translation of Letter 28 of 1679-04-25 to Nehemiah Grew
July 27, 1679 Robert Hooke showed the Royal Society microscopical observations of the liquor in a ram's testicles
August 10, 1679 Robert Hooke showed the Royal Society microscopical observations of a cock's testicles
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 wine
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, including Leeuwenhoek's Letter 28 of 1679-04-25 (AB 43) to Nehemiah Grew
November 14, 1679 Wrote letter of 1679-11-14 (AB 52) to Lambert van Velthuysen about gout, salt, and drinking tea
November 20, 1679 Wrote letter of 1679-11-20 (AB 53) to Robert Hooke, copying his letter of 14 November 1679 to Velthuysen about gout, salt, and drinking tea
January 12, 1680 Wrote Letter 29 of 1680-01-12 (AB 54) to Robert Hooke about the structure of wood and sperm in fish
January 16, 1680 Wrote letter of 1680-01-16 (AB 55) to Robert Hooke, enclosing a copy of the letter of 1679-05-20 to Constantijn Huygens about the number and size of little animals
January 25, 1680 Robert Hooke read part of Letter 29 of 1680-01-12 about the structure of wood
February 1, 1680 Robert Hooke read copy of letter to Huygens of 1679-05-20 about the number and size of little animals in ginger water
February 2, 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 member by the Royal Society
February 13, 1680 Wrote letter of 1680-02-13 (AB 56) to Robert Hooke that being elected a member of the Royal Society would be an honour
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
February 29, 1680 The Royal Society ordered that its coat of arms be engraved on the silver box holding Leeuwenhoek's diploma
March 4, 1680 The Royal Society discussed a silver box for Leeuwenhoek's diploma
March 7, 1680 The Royal Society further discussed Leeuwenhoek's diploma
March 8, 1680 Thomas Gale sent Leeuwenhoek official notice of his election as member of the Royal Society
March 21, 1680 Royal Society postponed reading copy of letter of 1679-05-20 to Huygens
March 28, 1680 Royal Society again postponed reading copy of letter of 1679-05-20 to Huygens
April 5, 1680 Wrote Letter 30 of 1680-04-05 (AB 57) to Robert Hooke about the testicles and sperm of a rat and organisms in the gills of oysters and in the sap of vines
April 11, 1680 Robert Hooke read Letter 30 of 1680-04-05 about rat sperm and organisms in gills of oysters and sap of vines
April 22, 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 59) to Robert Hooke to gratefully accept his election as a foreign member of the Royal Society and to acknowledge the receipt of his diploma
May 13, 1680 Wrote Letter 31 of 1680-05-13 (AB 60) to Thomas Gale about little animals in sap and whether little animals are in the air
May 13, 1680 Wrote letter of 1680-05-13 (AB 58) to Members of the Royal Society expressing his surprise and gratitude at being elected a member
May 23, 1680 Robert Hooke read the letters of 1680-05-13 thanking the Royal Society
June 14, 1680 Wrote letter of 1680-06-14 (AB 61) to Robert Hooke, a short cover letter
June 14, 1680 Wrote Letter 32 of 1680-06-14 (AB 62) to Thomas Gale about beer, yeast, crab's eyes in vinegar, and little animals reproducing in hermetically-sealed tubes
June 20, 1680 Robert Hooke produced the two letters of 1680-06-14 from Leeuwenhoek
June 27, 1680 The Royal Society read Letter 32 of 1680-06-14 to Thomas Gale about beer, yeast, a little animals in hermetically sealed tubes
August 9, 1680 Wrote letter of 1680-08-09 (AB 63) to Robert Hooke to ask whether the Royal Society received previous letters and to promise further investigations into the formation of blood
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 to inquire whether his letter of 1680-06-14 to Hooke had arrived
November 12, 1680 Wrote Letter 33 of 1680-11-12 (AB 65) to Robert Hooke about blood globules, lees of wine, globules in rain water, milk vessels, reproduction, little animals in the male seed of animals, and their incomprehensible smallness
November 21, 1680 Robert Hooke read the headings of Letter 33 of 1680-11-12 (AB 65)
December 5, 1680 Francis Aston promised the Royal Society to translate Letter 32 of 1680-11-12 (AB 65) to Hooke into English
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
January 22, 1681 The Royal Society read Francis Aston's translation of Letter 32 of 1680-11-12 (AB 65) to Hooke about the lees of ale and wine
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 about hog bristles, shedding hair, blackheads; living little animals in excrement, horse urine, clay, and gout
November 12, 1681 Robert Hooke produced the letter of 1681-11-04 from Leeuwenhoek
November 19, 1681 Robert Hooke read Letter 34 of 1681-11-04
November 26, 1681 Members of the Royal Society discussed Leeuwenhoek's observations of hair
December 3, 1681 Members of the Royal Society discussed Leeuwenhoek's microscopes
December 10, 1681 Philosophical Collections number 3 published in London, including Leeuwenhoek's Letter 33 of 1680-11-12 (AB 65) to Robert Hooke
January 1, 1682 Visited by Cornelis Bontekoe
January 10, 1682 Philosophical Collections number 4 published in London, including Leeuwenhoek's Letter 34 of 1681-11-04 (AB 66) to Robert Hooke
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, including Leeuwenhoek's Letter 35 of 1682-03-03 (AB 67) to Robert Hooke
March 3, 1682 Wrote Letter 35 of 1682-03-03 (AB 67) to Robert Hooke about muscle fibres, hair, the cell nucleus in the erythrocytes of fishes, the liver of salmons, beards of oysters, and the structure and growth of oyster shell
March 11, 1682 Robert Hooke read the first part of Letter 35 of 1682-03-03 to himself about striated muscle fibres of mammals and fishes
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
March 18, 1682 Robert Hooke read part of Letter 35 of 1682-03-03 to himself about muscle fibers
March 20, 1682 Robert Hooke wrote to Leeuwenhoek that his observations were well received by the Royal Society
April 1, 1682 Philosophical Collections number 7 published in London, including Leeuwenhoek's Letter 36 of 1682-04-04 (AB 68) to Robert Hooke
April 4, 1682 Wrote Letter 36 of 1682-04-04 (AB 68) to Robert Hooke
April 15, 1682 Robert Hooke read his letter of 1682-03-10 and Leeuwenhoek's reply of 1682-04-04 about muscles of crabs, lobsters, and shrimp
April 22, 1682 Robert Hooke showed the Royal Society part of a flesh muscle in a microscope, but the rimples mentioned by Leeuwenhoek could not be seen
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