Hans Sloane wrote Letter L-440 of 10 November 1705 about recent letters
This letter is known only by reference in other letters. The date is New Style, which was eleven days ahead of the Old Style date of 30 October 1705 used by the Royal Society in London.
In this letter, the Royal Society tells Leeuwenhoek that several of his letters have been translated, printed in Philosophical Transactions, and sent to him. They arrived shortly after the letter did.
The letter was most likely written by Hans Sloane as secretary of the Royal Society and editor of Philosophical Transactions. The text was discussed and approved during the meeting of the Royal Society of 31 October 1705 O.S. See Journal Book Original, vol. 11, p. 76, and Sir Hans Sloane’s secretarial minute books of Royal Society meetings, 1702-08, Royal Society, Manuscripts General, MS 557.2.4.
The numbers of Philosophical Transactions that the Royal Society sent, numbers 290 through 300, are all in vol. 24. They contain 11 letters written by L., Letter L-422 of 21 March 1704 through Letter L-439 of 25 May 1705, in Philosophical Transactions numbers 292 through 298. The only exception is Letter L-436 of 12 March 1705, which was published in vol. 25, no. 311. Sloane edited both volumes and John Chamberlayne translated all 11 of the letters.
The previous letter from the Royal Society to L. is Letter L-284 of 17 February 1696. The next letter from the Royal Society to L. is Letter L-453 of 3 June 1707. Both letters were probably written by Sloane.
Letter L-442 of 29 December 1705 to the Royal Society
I have received, very noble sirs, your very welcome letter of the 30th of October 1705, in which I saw that you had had several of my letters translated and printed, and had ordered the Transactions to be sent to me, which I had also longed for. I was glad to learn this and received them on the 13th of December, to wit No. 290 to No. 300. I am highly grateful for this generous present.
Letter L-452 of 17 May 1707 to John Chamberlayne
I take the liberty to tell you sir that I received a letter from the Royal Society dated 30th of October 1705 and a little while after I got the Transactions Numb 290 to 300.
