Chronology of events: 1679--1686

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
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 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 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 illiterate, but ingenious man" by Peter Pels
September 4, 1679 colleague Nicolaas van der Sloot appointed co-wine gauger
October 1, 1679 Visited by James, Duke of York, and "several high personages"
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
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 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 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 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 10, 1681 Philosophical Collections number 3 published in London; one letter by Leeuwenhoek
January 10, 1682 Philosophical Collections number 4 published in London; one letter by Leeuwenhoek
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
January 1, 1683 Visited by Marie-Anne Mancini, Duchess of Bouillon and others
January 22, 1683 Wrote Letter 37 of 1683-01-22 (AB 70) to Christopher Wren
February 16, 1683 Francis Aston wrote to Leeuwenhoek; invited him to investigate colors
March 17, 1683 Francis Aston wrote to Leeuwenhoek about new Royal Society officers
May 20, 1683 Wrote letter of 1683-05-20 (AB 71) to Anthonie Heinsius
July 16, 1683 Wrote Letter 38 of 1683-07-16 (AB 72) to Christopher Wren
July 22, 1683 Wrote letter of 1683-07-22 (AB 73) to Anthonie Heinsius
September 2, 1683 Wrote letter of 1683-09-02 (AB 74) to Anthonie Heinsius
September 10, 1683 Anthonie Heinsius wrote to Leeuwenhoek about recent observations of generation

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