Secrets of Nature Discovered

DEDICATION.

...that you offered one of my letters—which is occupied with investigating certain secrets of Nature original: "Naturæ arcanis." Leeuwenhoek often referred to his microscopic discoveries as "secrets" or "hidden things."—to be read both by many learned men familiar to you, and (which is greater than all expectation) to your most serene and powerful Prince and Lord, as well as to the most eminent Prince Cardinal. Likely referring to Cardinal Francesco Maria de' Medici, brother to Grand Duke Cosimo III. Therefore, since it is permitted for me to be so blessed that it seemed fit to you

and even to send to me a copy of that letter I mentioned, translated into the Italian language and published in Modena, original: "Mutinæ." Mutina is the ancient Latin name for the city of Modena, Italy. I, who

wished that there might exist some monument of my grateful spirit. Since indeed I have heard from many, and certainly learned men, that there are some in your Italy who, being entirely ignorant of my own vernacular language, Leeuwenhoek wrote almost exclusively in his native Dutch, which limited his direct readership among the pan-European "Republic of Letters" until his works were translated into Latin. desire to read my investigations of Nature in another language more familiar to scholars, I now dare to inscribe your name upon these works, now that they have been translated into the Latin language. If, among my observations, a few may be found which do not displease you and other lovers of truth, and if the other of the copies which I send...