THE AUTHOR'S EPISTLE TO THE READER 0S) 
engendered by common enterprise and common human endeavour. 
This is the real League of Nations—the only one that can ever 
succeed or survive. 
Therefore, dear Reader, meet Mr van Leeuwenhoek (a 
simple and ordinary dead Dutchman) and shake him by the 
hand and hearken to what he has to say. When you have 
done that, you will not only know the true meaning of that 
misused term “ scientific research”, but you will also realize 
(I hope) that you have already gone further along the path of 
peace and progress than some of the more sophisticated people 
now sitting solemnly at Geneva or at the meetings of the most 
learned and modern and Royal and scientific societies (God 
bless and prosper them all!). 
For my own part, I will only add—though it must now 
be obvious—that the making of this book has been to me a 
labour of love: and as such it is offered with all its manifest 
imperfections to You, good Reader, and to all other lovers of 
Leeuwenhoek and of his “little animals” and of all else 
that such love implies. 
Farewell. 
