58 
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1 
2 
sé 
LEEUWENHOEK AND HIS “LITTLE ANIMALS” 
private Observations wholy, and he assur’d me they per- 
form’d far beyond any that he had shew’d me yet, but 
would not allow me a sight of them, so all I can do, is 
barely to belive, for I can plead no experience in the mater. 
as for the Microscopes I looked through, they do not 
magnify, mutch, if any thing, more, then several Glasses I 
have seen both in England & Ireland: but in one 
particular I must needs say they far surpas them all, 
that is in their extreme clearness, and their representing 
all objects so extrordnary distinctly. for I remember 
we were in a dark rome’ with only one Window, and the 
sun to, was then of a that,’ yet the Objects appeerd more 
fair and clear, then any I have seen through Micro- 
scopes, tho the Sun shone full uppon them, or tho they 
receved more then ordnary Light by help of reflectiv 
Specula or otherwise: so that I imagine tis chiefly, if not 
allone in this particular, that his Glasses exceeds all 
others, which generaly the more they magnify the more 
obscure they represent the Object; and his only secret 
I belive is making clearer Glasses, and giving them a 
better pollish then others can do. I found him a very 
civil complesant man, & douptless of great natural 
Abileties; but contrary to my Expectations quite a 
stranger to letters, master neither of Latin French or 
English or any other of the modern tongues besides his 
own, which is a great hindrance to him in his reasonings 
uppon his Observations, for being ignorant of all other 
Mens thoughts, he is wholy trusting to his own, which 
I observe now and then lead him into extravagances, 
and suggest very odd accounts of things, nay sometimes 
sutch as are wholy irreconsilable with all truth. You 
see Sir how freely I give You my thoughts of him 
because You desired it. 
2.€., room. : 
“of a that’? = off of that, i.e. off the window—not on, or shining 
through it. 
