ie LEEUWENHOEK AND HIS ‘“ LITTLE ANIMALS ’”’ 
so much interest that the Secretary (Nehemiah Grew) was 
ordered to repeat Leeuwenhoek’s experiments, for the greater 
satisfaction of the Fellows.’ 
In a further communication on the same subject—and 
various others—Leeuwenhoek fulfilled his promise to send 
the testimony of divers credible eye-witnesses in support of the 
truth of his statements. To a modern worker it seems some- 
what curious that a scientific observer should think of calling 
in such people as notaries public and ministers of religion to 
vouch for the accuracy of his observations: but Leeuwenhoek 
could think of no better method of establishing his bona fides, 
and the result was, no doubt, satisfactory to all parties con- 
cerned. It should be remembered that Leeuwenhoek’s 
reputation was not yet firmly established at this early stage in 
his scientific career, and we know that certain people had 
already expressed their doubts as to the accuracy of his 
observations. Among them was Christiaan Huygens, who, 
writing to Oldenburg in 1675, says: “I should greatly like to 
know how much credence our Mr Leeuwenhoek’s observations 
obtain among you. He resolves everything into little 
globules; but for my own part, after vainly trying to see some 
of the things which he sees, I much misdoubt me whether 
they be not illusions of his sight ; especially when he professes 
to discover the particles whereof water, wine, and other 
liquors, are composed.” It was this scepticism regarding 
his researches, apparently, which caused Leeuwenhoek to 
send those long and detailed extracts from his note-book— 
which, as already noted, are peculiar to his 18th Letter—to 
the Royal Society. The disbelievers, therefore, did a signal 
service to posterity; for they put Leeuwenhoek on his mettle, 
"Cf. Birch, Vol. III, p.338: “It was ordered, that Dr. Grew should be 
desired to try what he could observe in the like waters; and that for this 
purpose an extract should be given him by Mr. Oldenburg of Mr. 
Leewenhoeck’s observations formerly read to the Society.” 
* Huygens to Oldenburg ; 30 January 1675. MS.Roy.Soc. This letter 
has lately been published in (uur. Compl. de Chr. Huygens, Vol. VII, 
No. 2003, p.399. The original is in French, and the above is my 
translation of the passage in question—-Huygens was mistaken in 
supposing that L. laid claim to having detected the particles (molecules) 
of which water and other liquids consist—as is abundantly proved by L.’s 
own statements: see, for example, his letter to Const. Huygens (20 May 
1679) translated on p. 187 infra. 
