Hans Sloane wrote Letter L-369 to Leeuwenhoek about translation problems and parasitic worms
Text of the letter in Alle de Brieven / The Collected Letters at the DBNL - De Digitale Bibliotheek voor de Nederlandse Letteren.
The date is New Style, which was eleven days ahead of the Old Style date of 28 May 1700 used by Sloane in London.
Sloane thanked Leeuwenhoek for two letters. He explained problems of translating the letters in London. Finally, he proposed that Leeuwenhoek examine parasitic worms.
As note in Alle de Brieven / Collected Letters, Leeuwenhoek answered this letter on 1700-06-14.
Accoring to the Journal Book Original (vol. 10, p. 184), Sloane discussed the research proposal formulated in this letter at the meeting of the Royal Society of 1700-05-22 O.S.
manuscript in London, British Museum, MS Sloane, No. 4068, fol. 23
Sr.
I have read lately 2 letters from you and have communicated them to the Royal Society. They were extreemly pleased with both & comanded me to return you their very hearty thanks for the pains you have been at in making yor letters being in Dutch are understood by few natutalists here, who are the only persons qualified to translate them so that the Society have been often some months without the satisfaction of understanding yor discoveries & that is the reason you have not sooner their thanks for yor letters.
They begg yor pardon for this delay & have ordered me to send you the last years transactions which wil do by the first oppertunity when you please to direct me whether in a posttown I may send them.
I have found more perfect & speedy acct of yorr discoveries so soon as yor letters come to London & therefor they will be glad to hear from you. they have also ordered me to acqauit you that they will be well pleased you would prosecute yor enquiries into the generation & history of worms found in sevll parts of sevll animalls that thereby the matter of equivocall generation may be sett right.
I for my own particular should be very glad any manner of way to show you how much I am
yor (..)Hans Sloane
