L’ACADEMIE DES SCIENCES 53 
date ‘‘is become almost out of Use and Repute: So that Mr. 
Leeuwenhoek seems to be the principal Person left that culti- 
vates those Enquiries. Which is not for Want of considerable 
Materials to be discover’d, but for Want of the inquisitive 
Genius of the present Age.” ’ These remarks were not due to 
the circumstance that Hooke was growing an old man, and 
therefore lawdator temporis actv: they are supported by all 
scientific publications of the period. 
It is often stated’ that Leeuwenhoek was elected a Fellow 
not only of the Royal Society but also of the Académie des 
Scrences of Paris. The date of his election is variously given 
(usually 1697), and it is also sometimes stated that he wrote 
a number of letters (usually said to be 26) to this other learned 
and royal Society. But no authority is ever quoted for such 
statements, and Leeuwenhoek’s name is not included—so far 
as I have been able to ascertain—in the lists of Membres de 
l’ Académie published prior to the reconstitution of this body 
(1699). Moreover, all the ‘“ Letters from Leeuwenhoek” in 
the Journal des Scavans appear to be merely extracts or quota- 
tions in French from the Philosophical Transactions. I must 
confess, however, that I have not searched all the early 
publications of the Académie properly—the task appearing 
somewhat unprofitable. 
As I have not had access to the archives of the Académie 
des Sciences—the only present source of authoritative inform- 
ation—I have sought the help of my friend Professor F. Mesnil, 
Membre del’ Académie, who has very kindly instituted inquiries 
on my behalf. Asa result he tells me in a recent letter:* “I 
have had the Archives of the Academy of Sciences searched 
for information about Leeuwenhoek, and I have been shown 
* Ibid., p. 268. 
* e.g. by Richardson (1885), De Toni (1923), ete. No reference to the 
subject is made by Halbertsma, Harting, Haaxman, or any reliable Dutch 
author. 
* Cf. Fontenelle (1709). Ornstein (1928) gives the history of the old 
Academy (p. 139 sq.) and enumerates the early members (pp. 146, 156, 159). 
Christiaan Huygens was the only original foreign member, though several 
associate members (including Hartsoeker) were appointed later (1682). In 
Godin’s Table Alphabétique the name of L. does not occur, nor is it included 
in the elaborate tabulation of De Candolle (1885, p. 224 sq.). 
* Letter dated 21 November 1930 (translated). 
