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
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 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 illiterate, but ingenious man" by Peter Pels
September 4, 1679 colleague Nicolaas van der Sloot appointed co-wine gauger
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 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
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 8, 1683 Received assistant wine gauger for emergencies
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
September 16, 1683 Wrote letter of 1683-09-16 (AB 75) to Anthonie Heinsius
September 17, 1683 Wrote Letter 39 of 1683-09-17 (AB 76) to Francis Aston
September 30, 1683 Wrote letter of 1683-09-30 (AB 77) to Anthonie Heinsius
October 1, 1683 Francis Aston wrote to Leeuwenhoek about the translation of a Dutch phrase
October 14, 1683 Wrote letter of 1683-10-14 (AB 78) to Anthonie Heinsius
December 28, 1683 Wrote Letter 40 of 1683-12-28 (AB 79) to Francis Aston
January 1, 1684 Published Onsigbare Geschapene Waarheden (Invisible Creation Truths), Letters 32, 33
January 1, 1684 Published Schobbens in de Mond (Scales in the Mouth), Letter 40
January 1, 1684 Published Eyerstok (Ovary), Letters 37, 39
January 1, 1684 Published Onsigbare Geschapene Waarheden (Invisible Creation Truths), Letters 32, 33, 39
January 1, 1684 Published Eyerstok (Ovary), Letter 37
January 1, 1684 Published Humor Cristallinus (Crystalline Humor), Letter 41
January 1, 1684 Published Onsigbare Geschapene Waarheden (Invisible Creation Truths), Letters 32, 39
January 6, 1684 Authorized as curator to inspect estate of Willemtie Pieters Touw by her heir
February 26, 1684 Francis Aston wrote to Leeuwenhoek about the importance of his work
April 2, 1684 cousin Margrieta Maertens Leeuwenhoek married Michiel Reijniers van Hasseld
April 14, 1684 Wrote Letter 41 of 1684-04-14 (AB 80) to Francis Aston
May 26, 1684 William Molyneux demonstrated blood flow in a newt
June 15, 1684 Visited Christiaan Huygens in Den Haag with the Durven brothers
July 25, 1684 Wrote Letter 42 of 1684-07-25 (AB 81) to Members of the Royal Society
December 13, 1684 sister Catharina Philips Leeuwenhoek received legacy from great uncle Johan Sebastiaans van den Berch
December 20, 1684 cousin Geertruijt Huijchs Leeuwenhoek buried
January 1, 1685 Published Onsigtbare Verborgentheden (Invisible Mysteries), Letters 38, 42, 43
January 1, 1685 Published Zaden van Boomen (Seeds of Trees), Letters 46, 47
January 1, 1685 Published Sout-figuren (Salt figures), Letters 44, 45
January 1, 1685 Published Anatomia et Contemplatio (Anatomy and Contemplation), Letters 43, 42, 38
January 1, 1685 cousin Maerten Huijchs Leeuwenhoek appointed tax farmer
January 5, 1685 Wrote Letter 43 of 1685-01-05 (AB 82) to Members of the Royal Society
January 23, 1685 Wrote Letter 44 of 1685-01-23 (AB 83) to Members of the Royal Society
February 13, 1685 Visited by Thomas Molyneux on behalf of the Royal Society
March 30, 1685 Wrote Letter 45 of 1685-03-30 (AB 84) to Members of the Royal Society
May 31, 1685 Maria Duyst van Voorhout married Frederik Adriaan van Reede van Renswoude
June 22, 1685 Visited by John Locke
July 2, 1685 sister Catharina Leeuwenhoek appointed as tax collector for three years
July 11, 1685 cousin Adriaen Lambrechts Leeuwenhoek appointed curator
July 13, 1685 Wrote Letter 46 of 1685-07-13 (AB 85) to Members of the Royal Society
July 22, 1685 At age 52, his 25th publication in Philosophical Transactions
July 24, 1685 Anthonie Heinsius wrote to Leeuwenhoek about Robert Boyle's request for an examination of cochineal
August 10, 1685 Wrote letter of 1685-08-10 (AB 86) to Anthonie Heinsius
August 21, 1685 Anthonie Heinsius wrote to Leeuwenhoek about Robert Boyle's reaction to the letter about cochineal
August 27, 1685 editor Edmond Halley did not publish any letters by Leeuwenhoek in Philosophical Transactions from 1685 to 1693
September 21, 1685 Wrote letter of 1685-09-21 (AB 87) to Anthonie Heinsius
October 6, 1685 Visited by Karl von Hessen-Kassel and Willem Meester
October 12, 1685 Wrote Letter 47 of 1685-10-12 (AB 88) to Members of the Royal Society
December 25, 1685 cousin Elisabeth Maertens Leeuwenhoek married Dirck van Schie
January 1, 1686 Sat for his oil portrait by artist Johannes Verkolje (1650-1693)
January 1, 1686 Published Cinnaber Naturalis (Natural Cinnabar), Letters 48 - 52
January 1, 1686 Published Levende Dierkens (Living Animals), Letters 28 - 31, 34 - 36
January 22, 1686 Wrote Letter 48 of 1686-01-22 (AB 89) to Members of the Royal Society
January 27, 1686 The Royal Society elected Edmond Halley as clerk
March 2, 1686 Edmond Halley wrote a letter to Leeuwenhoek reviewing his recent "ingenious and curious communications"
March 12, 1686 Thomas Gale replied for the Royal Society about objections to an earlier letter
March 16, 1686 Antonio Magliabechi wrote to Leeuwenhoek, a "most courteous and agreeable letter"
April 2, 1686 Wrote Letter 49 of 1686-04-02 (AB 90) to Members of the Royal Society
April 14, 1686 Wrote letter of 1686-04-14 (AB 91) to Antonio Magliabechi
May 14, 1686 Wrote Letter 50 of 1686-05-14 (AB 92) to Members of the Royal Society
May 19, 1686 The Royal Society decided to send a gift to Leeuwenhoek
May 25, 1686 Edmond Halley wrote a letter to Leeuwenhoek about a gift from the Royal Society and requesting some portraits
June 8, 1686 Bought a burial section in the Oude Kerk
June 10, 1686 Wrote Letter 51 of 1686-06-10 (AB 93) to Members of the Royal Society
June 16, 1686 The Royal Society officers declared their satisfaction with election of Edmond Halley
July 10, 1686 Wrote Letter 52 of 1686-07-10 (AB 94) to Members of the Royal Society
September 7, 1686 Examined silkworm eggs
September 10, 1686 Wrote letter of 1686-09-10 (AB 95) to Daniël Papenbroek
October 30, 1686 Wrote letter of 1686-10-30 (AB 96) to Antonio Magliabechi
November 5, 1686 Visited by Jacob Gronovius