The structure of diamonds
Date
20 November 1722
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p284
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 322mm
width (page): 200mm
width (page): 200mm
Subject
Description
From a letter by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek to James Jurin, the Secretary of the Royal Society.
Fig. 1: a crumb of a diamond observed with a microscope, which shows the layers.
Fig. 2: more clearly one can see here how the layers in the diamond are all on top of each other.
Fig. 3: another side of the diamond showing lines that are not layers.
Fig. 4: the size of the piece of diamond observed for figs 1-3.
Fig. 5: a bit of rock crystal with six sides.
Fig. 6: the same piece as in Fig. 5 but more enlarged showing the surface before polishing.
Fig. 7: not referred to in the text.
Fig. 8: a small part from the piece in Fig. 5, showing the perfectly smooth surface.
Fig. 9: the size of the crumb in figure 8.
Leeuwenhoek had these nine images drawn for him by an unknown artist. These drawings were engraved by John Sturt for Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, vol. 32, no. 374 (1723). A print of the engraved images can be found at EL/L4/83/013, now with the original letter.
Fig. 1: a crumb of a diamond observed with a microscope, which shows the layers.
Fig. 2: more clearly one can see here how the layers in the diamond are all on top of each other.
Fig. 3: another side of the diamond showing lines that are not layers.
Fig. 4: the size of the piece of diamond observed for figs 1-3.
Fig. 5: a bit of rock crystal with six sides.
Fig. 6: the same piece as in Fig. 5 but more enlarged showing the surface before polishing.
Fig. 7: not referred to in the text.
Fig. 8: a small part from the piece in Fig. 5, showing the perfectly smooth surface.
Fig. 9: the size of the crumb in figure 8.
Leeuwenhoek had these nine images drawn for him by an unknown artist. These drawings were engraved by John Sturt for Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, vol. 32, no. 374 (1723). A print of the engraved images can be found at EL/L4/83/013, now with the original letter.
Object history
Figures printed in Antoni Leeuwenhoek, 'De particulis et structura adamantum', Phil. Trans. vol. 32, no. 374, pp. 199-206.
Related fellows
Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1632 - 1723, Dutch) , Naturalist
Associated place