( iv ) 



from what might be deemed exceptionable ; and, at length, I 

 determined to attempt the Englifli Sele61;ion now oflfered to 

 the Public. To make this more correft, I procured, from 

 Holland, the original Edition in Dutch, by which I have 

 been able to corre61; fome few miftakes in the Latin Tranf- 

 lation, though in general it is a very faithful one. 



My endeavour has been to ftudy perfpicuity, and ufe 

 plainnefs of di^lion, fo as to make the book intelligible to 

 readers of every defcription ; I have given the Author*s 

 own words as nearly as a Tranflation would admit ; and I 

 flatter myfelf that I have not omitted any thing material, 

 which ought to have been inferted in this Selection. 



The works of Mr. Leeuwenhock are publifhed in Let- 

 ters, written by him from time to time, to men of emi- 

 nence and learned Bodies, and in particular to the Royal 

 Society of London. The fubjefts are not placed in any- 

 regular order, and fome of them are treated on at very 

 different periods of time. In this Sele6lion, I have re- 

 duced them to fome method, by colle6ling under different 

 heads, what I found difperfed throughout thofe Letters. 



In the original Dutch Edition, the Letters are num- 

 bered progreffively, beginning at No. 28, and the reafon 

 why no Epiftles appear prior to that Number, is prefixed 

 in thefe words : 



