Alle de brieven. Deel 11: 1695-1696

[p. 48]

Brief No. 153
16 Augustus 1695

Gericht aan: Antonio Magliabechi.

Manuscript: Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale Firenze, Mss. Magl. Classe VIII, Codice 547, fol. 2^r en 2^v, octavo.

Niet gepubliceerd.

Korte inhoud:

L. deelt aan Magliabechi mee dat hij besloten heeft de Arcana Naturae Detecta aan hem op te dragen (zie Brief 152 in dit deel). Hij maakt melding van het bezoek van de keurvorst van de Palts.

Opmerkingen:

De hier afgedrukte tekst is gebaseerd op een niet eigenhandige brief van L. (zie aant. 1). De brief is als volgt geadresseerd: Seer Doorlugtige Aldergeleerste En Seer Vermaarde Heer d'Heer Antonio Magliabechi in Florencien.

[p. 49]

Letter No. 153
16 August 1695

Addressed to: Antonio Magliabechi.

Manuscript: Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale Firenze, Mss. Magl. Classe VIII, Codice 547, fol. 2^r and 2^v, octavo.

Not published.

Summary:

L. informs Magliabechi that he has decided to dedicate the Arcana Naturae Detecta to him (see Letter 152 in the present volume). He mentions the visit of the Elector Palatine.

Remarks:

The text as here printed is based on a letter not written by L. himself(see note 1). The letter is addressed as follows: the Most Illustrious, Most Learned, and Very Famous Mr. Antonio Magliabechi in Florence.

[p. 50]

Illustrissimo, Celeberrimo, Doctissimo Domino Antonio Magliabechi

Antoni van Leeuwenhoek S:P:D.¹⁾

Ante hac, Vir Illustris, Tibi, per R: P. Danielem a Papenbroek, e Societate Jesu Sacerdotem, misi litteras a me ad Regiam Societatem Londinensem datas, et Latine versas²⁾. Quum autem reliquae a me scriptae epistolae nunc etiam Latino idiomate sint impressae (ut Viri Docti, cum in Italia, tum alibi, participes reddantur vilium meorum laborum, qui in exteris regionibus pluris fiunt, quam sperare unquam sustinueram) mihique visum fuerit eas Celeberrimo Tuo nomini inscribere³⁾; statui hisce Te hujus rei certiorem facere. Quoniam vero sub finem Octobris navis Roterodamo Liburnum profectura est, ea occasione, nisi forte melior se mihi interim obtulerit⁴⁾, Tibi libros, in dedicatione memoratos, missurum me recipio.

Non possum quin his addam, ante aliquot hebdomadas serenissimum Electorem Palatinum⁵⁾, una cum Augustissima sua Conjuge et Genitrice, variisque Viris Illustribus, me eo inaltasse honore, ut domi meae se aliquot mearum detectionum contemplatione oblectare voluerint.

Denique, ut hisce meis conatibus, utpote a Celeberrimi Tui nominis devotissimo et obstrictissimo cliente profectis, aequi bonique consulere velis, etiam atque etiam rogo.

Vale Vir Illustris, ac mihi fave.

Dabam Delfis Batavorum XVII Kalendas Septembris.
MDCXCV.

1) S:P:D:, Salutem plurimum dicit.
L. zelf heeft alleen zijn naam ingevuld in de aanhef en het adres op de omslag geschreven. De rest van de brief is van de hand van de vertaler of van een afschrijver.
De door L. aan Magliabechi geschreven Brief 173 van 28 augustus 1696 en Brief 175 van 7 september 1696, beide Alle de Brieven, Dl. 12, zijn door dezelfde duidelijke hand geschreven. Brief 159 van 31 oktober 1695, in dit deel, daarentegen is geschreven in een ander, moeilijk leesbaar handschrift. Brief 162 van 22 december 1695, in dit deel, is geschreven in een derde, zeer fraaie hand. Daar het niet waarschijnlijk is, dat L. drie vertalers tot zijn dienst had, is het aannemelijk, dat althans de brieven van 16 augustus en 22 december 1695 en van 28 augustus en 7 september 1696 door een beroepsschrijver in het net zijn overgeschreven. Misschien is de brief van 31 oktober 1695 van de hand van de vertaler zelf, maar meer dan een gissing is dit niet. [Dam.]

2) Waarschijnlijk doelt L. hier op de Continuatio epistolarum..., dat in 1689 gepubliceerd werd (vgl. Van Rijnberk, ‘Briefwisseling’, blz. 3152, noot 2).

3) Het aan Magliabechi opgedragen werk is Arcana Naturae Detecta. L. vermeldt in de opdracht dat hij twee exemplaren zendt, het ene blijkbaar voor Magliabechi persoonlijk, het andere voor de bibliotheek van de groothertog (zie Brief 152 in dit deel). [Dam.]

4) Blijkens Brief 158 van 18 oktober 1695, in dit deel, gericht aan Magliabechi heeft L. het pakje boeken meegegeven aan baron Bettino Ricasoli (zie het Biogr. Reg. in dit deel). In Brief 159 van 31 oktober 1695 en in Brief 162 van 22 december 1695, beiden in dit deel, komt hij hierop nog eens terug. Tenslotte deelt hij Magliabechi in Brief 173 van 28 augustus 1696, Alle de Brieven, Dl. 12, mee dat hij diens bericht van ontvangst heeft gekregen. [Dam.].

5) Deze keurvorst was Johann Wilhelm von Pfalz-Neuburg. Zie het Biogr. Reg. in dit deel, en aant. 2 bij Brief 157 [95] in dit deel.

[p. 51]

To the Very Illustrious, Famous, and Learned Mr. Antonio Magliabechi many greetings from Antoni van Leeuwenhoek¹⁾.

Before this, Illustrious Sir, I sent You letters through the intermediary of the Reverend Daniel van Papenbroek S.J., which letters had been sent by me to the Royal Society in London and had been translated into Latin²⁾. But since the other letters written by me have now also been printed in the Latin language (in order that the Scholars both in Italy and elsewhere may become acquainted with my trifling labours, which are esteemed more in foreign countries that I should ever have dared to hope) and I thought fit to dedicate them to your famous name³⁾, I have resolved to inform you of it herewith. Since towards the end of October a ship is bound from Rotterdam to Livorno, I promise to send You the books mentioned in the dedication on that occasion, unless perhaps a better occasion meanwhile presents itself to me⁴⁾.

I must add to this that a few weeks ago the most serene Elector Palatine⁵⁾, together with his August Spouse and his Mother and several Distinguished Gentlemen did me the honour of diverting themselves at my house with the contemplation of some of my discoveries.

Finally I urgently request you to accept herewith favourably these my efforts, as originating from a servant who is most devoted and endebted to Your Famous name.

Adieu, Illustrious Sir, and be favourably disposed towards me.
Written at Delft on 16 August 1695.

1) L. himself has only put in his name at the beginning and written the address on the envelope. The remainder of the letter was written by the translator or by a copyist.
Letter 173 of 28 August 1696 and Letter 175 of 7 September 1696 written by L. to Magliabechi, both in Collected Letters, vol. 12, are written in the same clear hand. Letter 159 of 31 October 1695 in the present volume, on the other hand, is written in a different, barely legible hand. Letter 162 of 22 December 1695 in the present volume is written in a third, very elegant hand. Since it is not likely that L. had three translators at his service, it may be assumed that at any rate the letters of 16 August and 22 December 1695 and of 28 August and 7 September 1696 were copied fair by a professional copyist. Perhaps the letter of 31 October 1695 was written by the translator himself, but this is mere conjecture. [Dam.]

2) Probably L. is referring here to the Continuatio epistolarum..., which was published in 1689 (cf. Van Rijnberk, ‘Briefwisseling’, p. 3152).

3) The work dedicated to Magliabechi is Arcana Naturae Detecta. In the deciation L. mentions that he is sending two copies, one of them apparently for Magliabechi personally, the other for the library of the Grand Duke (see Letter 152 in the present volume). [Dam.]

4) It appears from Letter 158 of 18 October 1695 in the present volume, addressed to Magliabechi, that L. sent the parcel of books along with Baron Bettino Ricasoli (see the Biographical Register in the present volume). In Letter 159 of 31 October 1695 and in Letter 162 of 22 December 1695, both in the present volume, he reverts to this once more. Finally in Letter 173 of 28 August 1696, Collected Letters, vol. 12, he informs Magliabechi that he has received the latter's acknowledgment of receipt. [Dam.].

5) This elector was Johann Wilhelm von Pfalz-Neuburg. See the Biographical Register in the present volume, and note 2 to letter 157 [95] in this volume.

[p. 52]

P: S. Si quas Tibi, Vir Illustris, ad me dare placuerit litteras, eas, hac inscriptione notatas:

Aan Antonij van Leeuwenhoek
tot Delft
in Holland.

ordinario tantum tradas veredario, nec dubites, quin mihi hoc pacto in manus sint venturae.

[p. 53]

P.S. If you should be pleased, my Lord, to write a letter to me, then give it, provided only with this address:

To Antonij van Leeuwenhoek
at Delft
in Holland,

to the ordinary messenger, and then you need not doubt but it will reach me in this way.