AMPERE ANDRÉ-MARIE: (1775-1836)

AMPERE ANDRÉ-MARIE: (1775-1836)

AMPERE ANDRÉ-MARIE: (1775-1836) French Physicist and Mathematician. An autodidact. The SI unit of measurement of electric current, the Ampere, is named after him. Ampere is one of the founders of the science of classical electromagnetism, he is also the inventor of multiple applications such as the the electrical telegraph, or the Solenoid, a term which he coined. Very rare A.L.S., `A. Ampere´, one page, 4to, Paris, 1st October, 1826, to `Mademoiselle Cuvier, au jardín des plantes´, in French. Ampere apologizes for the involuntary delay in meeting his friend Cuvier, and expresses his wish to meet him this same evening expecting to receive a scientific instrument he wants to show him, stating `Je ne sais en effet quel malheur me poursuit pour retarder une partie dont je me faisait(sic) un grand plaisir. Un autre contretemps mais qui heureusement est réparable, c´est que le jacopo outil français s´est trouvé prêté à un de mes amis à qui je l´ai envoyé demandé(sic), il y a longtemps qu´il l´a et c´est pure négligence de sa part s´il ne me l´avais pas rendu. Il a répondu qu´il me l´apporterait lui même aujourd´hui, et je le porterai ce soir chez Monsieur votre père si l´on me tient parole, s´il ne vient pas aujourd´hui je l´aurai toujours certainement demain matin´ (Translation “I do not know what misfortune is pursuing me to delay a meeting that I was taking great pleasure in. Another setback, but fortunately one that can be sorted out, is that the French jacopo tool was lent to one of my friends to whom I sent to ask for it, he has had it for a long time and it was pure negligence on his part if he had not returned it to me. He replied that he would bring it to me himself today, and I will take it to your father's tonight if his word is fulfilled, if he does not come today I will certainly still have it tomorrow morning”) Further Ampere expects that his visit will not disturb, and if so he asks his correspondent to forward a message on his behalf to Cuvier, saying `Je ne sais pas si je ne dérangerai pas Madame Cuvier en lui faisant mes adieux, dans le cas contraire j´aurai l´honneur de vous le remettre. Autrement, je le laisserai au domestique, dans ce cas je vous supplierai de lui offrir mes voeux pour son heureux voyage et son prompt retour. Je suis toujours plus pénétré de ses bontés pour moi et je ne sais comment lui en exprimer ma reconnaissance…´ (Translation: “I do not know if I will not disturb Madame Cuvier by going to say my goodbye, if not I will have the honour of giving it to you. Otherwise, I will leave it with the servant, in which case I will beg you to offer your father my wishes for a successful trip and for a prompt return. I am always overwhelmed by his kindness to me and I do not know how to express my gratitude to him…”) With blank integral leaf. Accompanied by the original envelope, hand addressed by Ampere. VG

Ampere addresses the present letter to Baron Cuvier´s daughter.

Georges Cuvier (1769-1832) French Naturalist and Zoologist, known as ''The founding father of Paleontology''. He was a major figure in the early 19th century in establishing fields of comparative anatomy and paleontology by comparing living creatures with fossils. His most famous work was Le Regne Animal (1817) (“The Animal Kingdom“).