C ^99 ) 
IL A LeUer fiom Mr Antony van Lceuwenhoek, 
F. R. S. to Mr Chaniberiainc, concerning the 
caufes of thedifferent taftes of Waters and edge of 
Kazors. 
Delft in Holland, June 21, 1701. 
Worthy Sir, 
I Have received your obIigingLetter,of the i^th ofApril, 
J 1701. vi^herein you defire to know,Whither I had ever 
made any obfervations of BojiVd Water which (fay you) 
according as it is moreorlefs hojil'd, does alter its Tajie 5 affd 
that yoH did firjl take notice thereof in WoWmi^vphere j/ou ftn- 
died fome time^ and where they chiefly nfake nje ofRain-waterl 
efpecially in drinking Tea, &G. That you foimd a migluy 
difference in the fame Water boyled a quarter of an hour (^for 
^ example^ or half an hour 3 which f you continue ) without 
doubt mujl proceed from the Different Form of the Spirits or 
Salts in the Water, and that the Difference of their Figure is 
certai77ly the Caufe of the Difference of their Tajle, ot herwifc 
aU Waters v:ould tajie alih, Sec. 
In anfv/er to this I muft tell you, Sir, that I have fre- 
quently obferv'd Rain-water, but it never came into my 
head to try whether there were any difference in the Salts 
of Water that had been Boyled little or much, ,tho I have 
feveral times been obligd to drink Tea ( and oftner in- 
deed than I did delirej the Water of which had not been 
fuSiciently boyl'd 5 efpecially becaufe it is my Ciiftom to 
drink Tea always after Dinner. 
I make them boy I my Tea- water at lea ft a quarter of an 
liour, which I jndge fufficient to take off the ka\\nefs(fo ' 
we call the unpleafant Tafte of the Water when it is not_ 
F f f f f f ■ , cnongil 
