THANKS FOR THE MEDAL 83 
knowledge, which I notice resides in me more than in 
most other men. And therewithal, whenever I found out 
anything remarkable, I have thought it my duty to put 
down my discovery on paper, so that all ingenious people 
might be informed thereof. 
In conformity with the foregoing sentiments, our octo- 
genarian microscopist here proceeds to record still further 
discoveries which need not now detain us. But in his next 
published letter, which was addressed to the writer! of the 
panegyric poem just mentioned, he makes a remark which is 
worth quotation. In this letter, after giving thanks for the 
Latin verses in his honour, Leeuwenhoek adds” 
I always know myself well enough to ee that I’m 
not worthy of the hundredth part of the expressions you 
make about my poor work: for it springs only from an 
inclination I have to inquire into the beginnings of 
created things, in so far as ‘twas ever possible for me to 
do so. 
And he then delivers to the uninterested Kerkherdere a 
lengthy disquisition (occupying some 18 printed pages) on his 
latest botanical observations. 
Another letter, written a few months later in the same 
year, gives some particulars of Leeuwenhoek’s health at 
this period (1716). This letter was sent not to the Royal 
Society nor to Louvain but to Dr Abraham van Bleys-wyk °* 
"Den Heere J: G: Kerkherdere, syner Keyserlyke en Koninglyke 
Mayjesteyts Historicus.’’—Jan Gerard Kerkherdere (1677-1738) of Louvain 
was a theologian, grammarian, and classical scholar. By all accounts he 
possessed a special aptitude for writing Latin verses, which he was able to 
produce with great facility on all ceremonious occasions. He was appointed 
historiographer to the Emperor Joseph I in 1708. See N. Nederl. Biogr. 
Woordenb. (1924), VI, 878; and Biogr. Nat. Belg. (1886-7), IX; also Nouv. 
Biogr. Gén. (Hoefer), sub voce “ Kerckherdére.”’ 
* Translated from Send-brief XXVI. 22 June 1716. Published in 
Brieven (1718), Vol. IV, p. 232; and in Latin in Op. Omn. (Epist. Physiol.), 
Vol. IV, p. 230. 
* Abraham van Bleyswijk [alias Bleiswijk, Bleyswijck, etc.] was M.D., 
and lector anatomicus at Delft—as L. himself informs us. (Cf. Send- brief 
XXXVI. 26 May 1717.) He was a pupil of Boerhaave, and took his 
