Chronology of events: 1702--1776

For some events, the year is certain but the month and day are not. Example: We know only the year for the collections of Leeuwenhoek's letters published in Dutch during his lifetime.

For other events, the season or month are certain but the day is not. Example: Leeuwenhoek mentions that someone visited him "last month".

On the other hand, many events did indeed happen on the first day of a month. Example: public appointments to Delft's city offices took effect on January 1 of each year. Thus:

  • A date of January 1 in a given year may indicate that the year is certain but the month and day are not.
  • A date of 1 in a given month may indicate that the year and month are certain but the day is not.

Unless otherwise indicated, for events in England, the date given is Old Style, 10 days behind the Dutch Republic's New Style until 1700 and then 11 days behind.

Date
January 1, 1702 Published Sevende Vervolg der Brieven (Seventh Continuation of the Letters), Letters 108 - 146
February 9, 1702 Wrote Letter 144 of 1702-02-09 (AB 233) to Hendrik van Bleyswijk
February 14, 1702 Wrote Letter 145 of 1702-02-14 (AB 234) to Members of the Royal Society
April 19, 1702 cousin Cornelis Lambrechts Leeuwenhoek (1670-1702) buried
April 20, 1702 Wrote Letter 146 of 1702-04-20 (AB 235) to Karl von Hessen-Kassel
April 20, 1702 Wrote letter of 1702-04-20 (AB 236) to Karl von Hessen-Kassel
April 28, 1702 Wrote letter of 1702-04-28 (AB 237) to Members of the Royal Society
December 8, 1702 Wrote letter of 1702-12-08 (AB 238) to John Chamberlayne
December 25, 1702 Wrote letter of 1702-12-25 (AB 239) to Members of the Royal Society
February 5, 1703 Wrote letter of 1703-02-05 (AB 240) to Members of the Royal Society
February 26, 1703 Wrote letter of 1703-02-26 (AB 241) to Members of the Royal Society
March 3, 1703 Robert Hooke died
November 3, 1703 Wrote letter of 1703-11-03 (AB 242) to Hans Sloane
November 3, 1703 Wrote letter of 1703-11-03 (AB 243) to Members of the Royal Society
December 4, 1703 Wrote letter of 1703-12-04 (AB 244) to Members of the Royal Society
December 8, 1703 "We had a frightful storm from the southwest"
January 1, 1704 Tried to resign from city inspector / wine gauger job
January 1, 1704 Published Vervolg der Brieven (Continuation of the Letters), Letters 53 - 60 (3rd)
January 8, 1704 Wrote letter of 1704-01-08 (AB 245) to Members of the Royal Society
February 1, 1704 Wrote letter of 1704-02-01 (AB 246) to Members of the Royal Society
February 11, 1704 Wrote letter of 1704-02-11 (AB 247) to Petrus Valckenier
March 21, 1704 Wrote letter of 1704-03-21 (AB 248) to Members of the Royal Society
May 29, 1704 Pieter Pollinckoven appointed wine gauger
July 22, 1704 Wrote letter of 1704-07-22 (AB 249) to Members of the Royal Society
September 16, 1704 Wrote letter of 1704-09-16 (AB 250) to Members of the Royal Society
October 3, 1704 Wrote letter of 1704-10-03 (AB 251) to John Chamberlayne
November 4, 1704 Wrote letter of 1704-11-04 (AB 252) to Members of the Royal Society
December 13, 1704 Wrote letter of 1704-12-13 (AB 253) to Members of the Royal Society
January 1, 1705 Peter Stout appointed assistant wine gauger
March 3, 1705 Wrote letter of 1705-03-03 (AB 254) to Members of the Royal Society
March 3, 1705 Wrote letter of 1705-03-03 (AB 255) to John Chamberlayne
March 12, 1705 Wrote letter of 1705-03-12 (AB 256) to Antonio Magliabechi
March 27, 1705 Wrote letter of 1705-03-27 (AB 257) to Members of the Royal Society
March 30, 1705 Visited by Pieter Valkenier
April 24, 1705 Wrote letter of 1705-04-24 (AB 258) to Members of the Royal Society
May 25, 1705 Wrote letter of 1705-05-25 (AB 259) to Members of the Royal Society
October 1, 1705 Visited by Francesco Cornaro
December 18, 1705 Wrote letter of 1705-12-18 (AB 260) to Francesco Corner
December 29, 1705 Wrote letter of 1705-12-29 (AB 261) to Members of the Royal Society
March 7, 1706 Wrote letter of 1706-03-07 (AB 262) to Govert Bidloo
March 7, 1706 Visited by Govert Bidloo
March 19, 1706 Wrote letter of 1706-03-19 (AB 263) to Members of the Royal Society
April 20, 1706 Wrote letter of 1706-04-20 (AB 264) to Members of the Royal Society
June 1, 1706 Wrote letter of 1706-06-01 (AB 265) to Members of the Royal Society
December 1, 1706 Wrote letter of 1707-00-01 (AB 266) to Angelus van Wikhuysen
April 23, 1707 Hans Sloane wrote to Leeuwenhoek about not having received letters from him
May 17, 1707 Wrote letter of 1707-05-17 (AB 267) to John Chamberlayne
May 18, 1707 The Royal Society read Letter 267 of 1707-05-17 about bezoar stone and unanswered letters
July 1, 1707 At age 74, his 75th publication in Philosophical Transactions
July 5, 1707 Wrote letter of 1707-07-05 (AB 268) to Members of the Royal Society
July 7, 1707 Visited by Gilbert and Thomas Burnet
July 12, 1707 Wrote letter of 1707-07-12 (AB 269) to Members of the Royal Society
July 25, 1707 Wrote letter of 1707-07-25 (AB 270) to Members of the Royal Society
August 10, 1707 Wrote letter of 1707-08-10 (AB 271) to Anthonie Heinsius
October 18, 1707 Wrote letter of 1707-10-18 (AB 272) to Members of the Royal Society
November 22, 1707 Wrote letter of 1707-11-22 (AB 273) to Members of the Royal Society
December 6, 1707 Wrote letter of 1707-12-06 (AB 274) to Members of the Royal Society
January 1, 1708 Published Arcana Naturae Microscopiorum (Nature's Mcroscopical Mysteries), 19 Letters from 28 - 52 (3rd)
January 1, 1708 Wrote letter of 1708-01-01 (AB 275) to Members of the Royal Society
January 29, 1708 printer-bookseller Hendrik van Cronevelt buried
April 29, 1708 daughter Maria Thonis named to receive a bequest in the will of her Bisschop cousins
May 8, 1708 Bought neighboring property on Nieuwstraat
June 29, 1708 Wrote letter of 1708-06-29 (AB 276) to Members of the Royal Society
August 28, 1708 Wrote letter of 1708-08-28 (AB 277) to Members of the Royal Society
October 9, 1708 Wrote letter of 1708-10-09 (AB 278) to Members of the Royal Society
August 11, 1709 Hans Sloane received a letter from Dr. Archibald Adams about the making of microscopes
September 10, 1709 Wrote letter of 1709-09-10 (AB 280) to John Chamberlayne
September 10, 1709 Wrote letter of 1709-09-10 (AB 279) to Hans Sloane
November 22, 1709 Wrote letter of 1709-11-22 (AB 281) to John Chamberlayne
January 2, 1710 Visited by Alexander Stuart and two Scots gentlemen
January 14, 1710 Wrote letter of 1710-01-14 (AB 282) to Members of the Royal Society
January 26, 1710 cousin Elisabeth Maertens Leeuwenhoek married Leonard van Amsterdam
February 2, 1710 Wrote letter of 1710-02-21 (AB 283) to Members of the Royal Society
June 6, 1710 Wrote letter of 1710-06-06 (AB 284) to Members of the Royal Society
July 1, 1710 Visited by Alexander Stuart
November 11, 1710 Wrote letter of 1710-11-11 (AB 285) to Members of the Royal Society
November 26, 1710 daughter Maria Thonis sold two little houses
November 27, 1710 Visited by John Farrington
December 4, 1710 Visited by Zacharias Conrad von Uffenbach: "more of ingenuity than foundation"
August 15, 1711 Wrote letter of 1711-08-15 (AB 286) to Anthonie Heinsius
August 18, 1711 Wrote letter of 1711-08-18 (AB 287) to James Petiver
September 22, 1711 Wrote letter of 1711-09-22 (AB 288) to Members of the Royal Society
November 23, 1711 Wrote letter of 1711-11-23 (AB 289) to Anthonie Heinsius
December 23, 1711 Delft's mayors annulled Leeuwenhoek's position of district supervisor
December 29, 1711 Wrote letter of 1711-12-29 (AB 290) to Anthonie Heinsius
December 29, 1711 Wrote letter of 1711-12-29 (AB 291) to Anthonie Heinsius
February 11, 1712 Made will; he and daughter Maria universal heirs
March 1, 1712 Wrote letter of 1712-03-01 (AB 292) to Members of the Royal Society
March 25, 1712 microscopist Nehemiah Grew died
April 12, 1712 Wrote letter of 1712-04-12 (AB 293) to Members of the Royal Society
June 10, 1712 Wrote letter of 1712-06-10 (AB 294) to Members of the Royal Society
August 5, 1712 Appointed guardian of ? Leeuwenvelt
November 8, 1712 Wrote letter of 1712-11-08 (AB 295) to Anthonie Heinsius, a cover letter for AB 296
November 8, 1712 Wrote Letter I of 1712-11-08 (AB 296) to Anthonie Heinsius about the muscle fibres of a whale
November 28, 1712 nephew Adriaan Johannes Swalmius married Agatha Amelia Cocquis
December 17, 1712 Wrote Letter II of 1712-12-17 (AB 297) to Anthonie Heinsius about salts in the blood of a shrimp and the muscle fibres and enveloping membranes of cod, shrimp, flounder, and perch
January 1, 1713 Published Cinnaber Naturalis (Natural Cinnabar), Letters 48 - 52 (2nd)
February 28, 1713 Wrote Letter III of 1713-02-28 (AB 298) to Jan Meerman about wheat and barley grains, beans, peas, and chestnuts, vessels and membranes in coconut rind, and the embryo in an apple pip and in a coconut
March 14, 1713 Wrote Letter IV of 1713-03-14 (AB 299) to Jan Meerman about the eye of a whale, the lens, and the cornea and calculations of the pressure upon a whale's eye at great depth
March 25, 1713 Wrote Letter V of 1713-03-25 (AB 300) to Adriaen van Assendelft
March 29, 1713 Wrote Letter VI of 1713-03-29 (AB 301) to Anthonie Heinsius
June 28, 1713 Wrote Letter VII of 1713-06-28 (AB 302) to Members of the Royal Society
June 30, 1713 Wrote Letter VIII of 1713-06-30 (AB 303) to Anthonie Heinsius
October 12, 1713 Wrote letter of 1713-10-12 (AB 304) to Hans Sloane
October 13, 1713 Hans Sloane wrote to Leeuwenhoek about responses to his recent letters
October 24, 1713 Wrote Letter IX of 1713-10-24 (AB 305) to Antony Cinck
November 19, 1713 nephew Jan Adriaans Swalmius baptized
December 7, 1713 nephew Adriaan Johannes Swalmius admitted as notary
January 6, 1714 cousin Maarten Pieters Hogenhouck appointed church warden, Oude Kerk and Nieuwe Kerk
January 26, 1714 daughter Maria received bequest from Bisschop estate
March 22, 1714 Leibniz wrote to Louis Bourguet: "a fable of extravagant proportions"
May 9, 1714 Visited by Dr. Richard Bradley, professor of botany at Cambridge
June 22, 1714 Wrote Letter X of 1714-06-22 (AB 306) to Members of the Royal Society
July 8, 1714 Richard Waller wrote to Leeuwenhoek about how the Royal Society received his observations
August 17, 1714 Andries Jacobs appointed assistant city inspector / wine gauger
August 19, 1714 Richard Waller wrote to Leeuwenhoek about the receipt of his latest letter and the Royal Society's annual recess
August 21, 1714 Wrote Letter XI of 1714-08-21 (AB 307) to Members of the Royal Society
October 23, 1714 niece Maria Jans de Molijn's widowed husband Cornelis Haaxman made will
October 26, 1714 Wrote Letter XII of 1714-10-26 (AB 308) to Members of the Royal Society
November 4, 1714 Wrote Letter XIII of 1714-11-04 (AB 309) to Adriaen van Assendelft
November 9, 1714 Wrote Letter XIV of 1714-11-09 (AB 310) to Members of the Royal Society
November 17, 1714 newphew Adriaan Johannes Swalmius married Adriana de Bries
November 20, 1714 Wrote Letter XV of 1714-11-20 (AB 311) to Members of the Royal Society
January 1, 1715 astronomer Edmond Halley, editor again of Philosophical Transactions from 1715-1719, published only one letter by Leeuwenhoek
January 1, 1715 Published Continuatio Epistolarum (Continuation of the Letters), Letters 53-60 (3rd)
January 11, 1715 Wrote letter of 1715-01-11 (AB 312) to Anthonie Heinsius
February 27, 1715 Appointed executor of Leeuwenvelt estate
February 28, 1715 Anthonie Heinsius wrote (AB 313) to Leeuwenhoek thanking him for his letters and praising his importance
March 26, 1715 Wrote Letter XVI of 1715-03-26 (AB 314) to Antony Cinck
July 1, 1715 Visited by Joachim Georg Reinerding
July 7, 1715 Wrote Letter XVII of 1715-07-07 (AB 315) to Antony Cinck
August 5, 1715 Named in document using Vermeer estate as security
August 5, 1715 Gottfried Leibniz wrote (AB 316) to Leeuwenhoek about sperm and encouraging young people
September 28, 1715 Wrote Letter XVIII of 1715-09-28 (AB 317) to Gottfried Leibniz
October 29, 1715 Gottfried Leibniz wrote (AB 318) to Leeuwenhoek about his observations and teaching his methods
November 18, 1715 Wrote letter of 1715-11-18 (AB 319) to Gottfried Leibniz
November 18, 1715 Wrote Letter XIX of 1715-11-18 (AB 320) to Gottfried Leibniz
January 1, 1716 Paid the familiegeld (estate tax) of 20 gulden
February 25, 1716 Wrote letter of 1716-02-25 (AB 321) to Anthonie Heinsius
March 3, 1716 Wrote Letter XX of 1716-03-13 (AB 322) to Gottfried Leibniz

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