Description:

Ampere Andre

André-Marie Ampère, French Physicist, ALS Regarding "Essay on the Philosophy of Sciences"

 

2pp autograph letter inscribed overall by André-Marie Ampère (1775-1836), and signed by him as "A. Ampère H:" (complete with monogram) at the center of the second page. Written in Paris, France on February 21, 1833. On watermarked cream laid bifold paper. The third page is blank and the fourth is an integral address leaf addressed to a "Monsieur Levy, Lecturer at the Teacher's Training School, Rue St. Jacques in Paris." With expected folds, including some well-worn and with closed tears, several of which are restored with tape. Isolated paper loss corresponding to the letter seals. Overall light toning, else very good to near fine. 7.25" x 9.5".

 

The "essay on mathésiologie" discussed in the following letter was almost certainly a draft of what would become Ampère's two-volume Essai sur la Philosophie des Sciences, ou Exposition Analytique d’une Classification Naturelle de Toutes les Connaissances Humaines [trans: Essay on the Philosophy of Sciences, or Analytical Exposition of a Natural Classification of All Human Knowledge] (Paris: Bachelier, Clermont-Ferrand printer for the first part, E.-J. Bailly printer for the second part, 1834-1843). "Mathésiologie" was a term that Ampère created to describe the classification of the sciences.

 

Transcript, with unchanged spelling and punctuation:

 

"Monsieur et très-cher collègue, je crois vous avoir remis dans le tems les cinques feuilles imprimées de mon essai de mathésiologie, j'ai reçu depuis, de Clermont-Ferrand où l'ouvrage s'imprime, les feuilles suivantes et il n'en reste plus que deux ou trois, composées depuis longtems, et où l'on fait dans ce moment les dernières corrections, pour que la premiere partie, relative aux sciences cosmologiques, soit complète.

Comme si les 5 premières feuilles du petit nombre d'exemplaires dont je pourrai disposer d'après les arrangemens pris avec le libraire-éditeur, venaient à s'égarer, ce serait une chose irréparable et autant d'exemplaires décomplétés, si vous voulez me renvoyer les cinq feuilles que je vous ai remises de celui qui vous est destiné, je les reunirai aux suivantes et je les ferai brocher ensemble dès que j'aurai toute la première partie, ce qui ne peut guère tarder, je vous enverrai alors un exemplaire complet de cetter première partie en attendant la seconde dont le manuscit est a peu près achevé et qui serait bientot imprimé si ma future tournée ne m'etait pas d'obstacle à sa promte publication.

J'ai l'honneur d'être avec la plus parfaite considération,

Monsieur et cher collègue,

Votre tout dévoué

A. Ampère H:

19. rue de tonés St. Victor.

Paris 21 fevr. 1833."

 

Translation (punctuation has been sparingly modified for the sake of clarity):

 

"Monsieur and dear colleague, I believe I gave you at some time the five printed sheets of my essay on mathésiologie [classification of sciences]. I since received the following sheets from Clermont-Ferrand--where the work is being printed--and there are only two or three more, composed a long time ago, and of which at this moment we are completing the last corrections, so that the first part relative to the cosmological sciences is complete.

If the first 5 leaves of the small number of copies that I can dispose of according to arrangements made with the bookseller-publisher would be lost, it would be an irreparable thing and many copies would be incomplete. If you want to send back the five sheets I gave you of those intended for you, I will put them together with the following ones as soon as I have all of the first part, which will not be long. Then I will send you a complete copy of the first part, while waiting for the second of which the manuscript is almost completed, and which would be printed sooner if my future tour did not hinder its prompt publication.

I have the honor to be, with the most perfect consideration,

Monsieur and dear colleague,

Your very devoted

A. Ampère H:

19. rue de tonés St. Victor.

Paris Feb. 21. 1833."

 

André-Marie Ampère was a leading French physicist and mathematician of his day. He pioneered the study of electromagnetism, contributing to major theories and laws, and even giving his name to the ampere, a unit of measurement of electricity. Ampère taught chemistry, physics, astronomy, math, and astronomy when he was not producing original scientific work.

 

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

 

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