Leeuwenhoek’s Tomb, Part II

Leeuwenhoek

On the floor, at the foot of  the wall tower memorial, we can find the stone which covers the tomb. On it is inscribed:

HIER RUST
ANTHONY VAN LEEWENHOEK,
OUTSTE LIT VAN DE KOONINCKLIJKE SOSYTEYT IN LONDE,
GEBOOREN BINNEN DE STADT DELFT OP DEN 24STEN OCTOBER 1632,
EN OVERLEEDEN OP DEN 26STEN AUGUSTY 1723,
OUT SYNDE 90 JAAR, 10 MAANDE EN 2 DAGEN

Here lies Anthony van Leewenhoek, oldest Fellow of the Royal Society in London, born in the town of Delft on the 24th of October 1632, and deceased on the 26th of August 1723, being aged 90 years, 10 months, and 2 days.

Below that, a short poem, composed by Hubert Poot ( 1689-1733)

HEEFT ELK, O WANDELAER, ALOM
ONTZAGH VOOR HOOGEN OUDERDOM
EN WONDERBARE GAVEN,
SOO SET EERBIEDIGH HIER UW’ STAP:
HIER LEGT DE GRYSE WEETENSCHAP
IN LEEWENHOEK BEGRAVEN.

Since everyone, O traveller,
Great age respects, everywhere,
And gifts of wondrous merit:
So here all reverently tread,
Where Science old and gray of head
In LEEWENHOEK lies buried.

Below the engraved image is the inscription for his daughter, Maria van Leeuwenhoek, who is also buried there and who provided for the memorial for her father.

(Translations adapted from Antony van Leeuwenhoek and His “Little Animals”: Being Some Account of the Father of Protozoology and Bacteriology and His Multifarious Discoveries in These Disciplines, by Clifford Dobell; Harcourt, Brace, 1922.)

Leuwenhoek’s Tomb, Part I.

Leeuwenhoek

In Delft the most visible memorial to commemorate Leeuwenhoek lies in the Oude Kerk (Old Church). In the northern isle set in the tower wall his small monument stands. On the obelisk below his profile are the latin words:

PIAE ET AET. MEM.
ANTONII A LEEUWENHOEK
REG. ANGL. SOCIET. MEMBRI
QUI NATURAE PENETRALIA ET PHYSICES ARCANA
MICROSCOPIIS AB IPSO INVENTIS ET MIRABILI ARTE FABRICATIS
ASSIDUO STUDIO ET PERSCRUTATIONE DETEGENDO ET IDIOMATE BELGICO
DESCRIBENDO DE TOTO TERRARUM ORBE OPTIME MERUIT.
NAT. DELPH. XXIV OCT. A°. MVI^cXXXII
IBIDEMQUE DENAT. XXVI AUGUSTI A° MVII^cXXIII

To the fond and everlasting memory of Antony van Leeuwenhoek,
Fellow of the English Royal Society, who, by detecting through diligent
application and scrutiny the mysteries of Nature and the secrets of natural
philosophy by means of microscopes invented and marvellously constructed by himself, and by describing them in the Dutch dialect, has earned the highest approbation of the whole world. Born at Delft 24 October 1632, and died in the same place 26 August 1723.

(Translation from Antony van Leeuwenhoek and His “Little Animals”: Being Some Account of the Father of Protozoology and Bacteriology and His Multifarious Discoveries in These Disciplines, by Clifford Dobell; Harcourt, Brace, 1922.)