Preface
The Leeuwenhoek Commision records with satisfaction that volume XIII of The Collected Letters of Antoni van Leeuwenhoek is now ready.
The preparation of this edition has been attended to by the editor, Drs L.C. Palm, University Lecturer at the Institute for the History of Science of the University of Utrecht.
The Commission would like to thank Prof. Dr B.C. Damsteegt, who has undertaken the transcription of the letters, and added philological notes to the text wherever needed. He has, moreover, assisted the editor in other ways as well. The scientific notes which are not philological, have been written by the editor (unsigned) or by one of the collaborators (signed; cf. the List of Co-workers); the Commission here expresses its thanks for their assistance.
Miss C. Dikshoorn has translated the text of the letters, with the exception of Letter 223. The latter, as well as the notes, Introduction, and Biographical Register have been translated by Dr E. Kegel-Brinkgreve.
The work of the Commission has been made possible financially by the Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences), whereas the publication could be achieved thanks to a considerable grant of the Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (N.W.O.).
The Commission is grateful to several libraries and archives for permitting the publication of the letters in their possession. These thanks are in particular due to the Royal Society; its staff members have assisted the editor in various ways.
Since the publication of volume XII of the Collected Letters the former member of the Commission Prof. Dr W.K.H. Karstens has died (24 August 1989). Through his membership of the Commission and his comments on botanical issues in the letters of van Leeuwenhoek he has contributed considerably to the edition's coming into being.
There have been some changes in the composition of the Commission. In 1991 Prof. Dr F.A. Stafleu resigned as president and member of the Commission, and in 1992 Prof. Dr A.M. Luyendijk-Elshout terminated her membership. The Commission is grateful to them both for their numerous contributions to the Commission's activities during many years.
In 1991 Prof. Dr H.A.M. Snelders was appointed the new president of the Commission, while Dr R.P.W. Visser was nominated as its secretary and treasurer.
As new members of the Commission were enrolled Dr J.D. North, Professor of the History of Philosophy in its Relation to the Development of the Sciences, in the University of Groningen (1991); and Dr H. Beukers, Professor of the History of Medicine in the University of Leiden (1992).