19 
THE LIFE OF 
ANTONY VAN LEEUWENHOEK 
NTONY VAN LEEUWENHOEK,’ the hero of the 
A following pages, was born at Delft in Holland on 
24 October 1632. He died in his native town on 
26 August 1723; being then aged—as his epitaph informs 
us, with appropriate numerical particularity—‘ 90 years, 
10 months, and 2 days.” 
The year of Leeuwenhoek’s birth is memorable, to 
Englishmen and Hollanders alike, as that in which several of 
our other great men—of widely different genius—were also 
born: our philosophers John Locke (1632—1704) and Baruch 
de Spinoza (1632—1677); the architect Christopher Wren 
(1632—1723); and the famous painters Jan Vermeer of Delft 
(1632—1675) and Nicolaes Maes (1632—1693). It is also 
remembered by historians as the year of the Siege of 
Maestricht, which marks approximately the middle of the 
Thirty Years’ War. The unhappy Charles I was then King 
of England; the great Prince of Orange Frederik Hendrik, 
whose period is called a “golden age”’ by Dutch writers, was 
Stadholder of the United Netherlands: and for both Holland 
and HKngland the times were big with coming developments in 
politics, religion, and commerce—no less than in science, 
philosophy, and art. Verily astrange hour for the birth of one 
who, while leading in the midst of wars the peaceful life of a 
provincial tradesman, was to win immortal fame by his amateur 
activities as a man of science. 
Of Leeuwenhoek’s parents not much is certainly known. 
His father was named Philips Antonysz. van Leeuwenhoek’, 
* For orthography, derivation, and pronunciation of the name, see 
p. 300. 
* 7.e., Phillip, son of Antony v. L. The name is sometimes given as 
Philips (or Philippus) Antony, but this is a mistake. Of. Boitet (1729), 
Haaxman (1875), and Soutendam (1875). In an old genealogical tree— 
which I have seen—in the possession of the Haaxman family, the name is 
written as given above: but in the archives of Delft he is styled simply 
“Philips Thonisz.” (Bouricius, 1924, 1925.) 
