THE ENVOY 387 
One of Leeuwenhoek’s own countrymen has recently called 
me his “ greatest living admirer.”* I am proud to admit the 
accusation, and this book gives some of the grounds for my 
conceit. But the foregoing pages are not meant as an appeal 
to the reader’s emotions—only to his reason. “ How Dogma- 
tical soever my Assertions may seem to be, yet do I not affect 
the unreasonable T'yranny of obtruding upon the Faith of any. 
He that speaketh Reason, may be rather satisfied, in being 
understood, than believed.” ” Consequently, if my poor labours 
succeed in robbing me of a title which I hold but temporarily 
and precariously, they will not have been wholly in vain; and 
I shall be the first to rejoice when I am deposed from a 
position which I do not deserve, cannot maintain, and have 
never sought. 
As I aim at nothing but Truth, and, so far as in me 
lieth, to point out Mistakes that may have crept into 
certain Matters; I hope that in so doing those I chance 
to censure will not take it ill: and if they would expose 
any Errors in my own Discoveries, I’d esteem it a 
Service; all the more, because ’twould thereby give me 
Encouragement towards the Attaining of a_ nicer 
Accuracy.” 
1 Dr W. H. van Seters, as reported in the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant 
of 13 July 1926 (Nr. 83, blz. 6). 
2 Nehemiah Grew (1672), last lines of Preface. 
* Translated from L.’s Letter 135 (25 Dec. 1700): published in Brieven, 
Sevende Vervolg, p. 307. 
