BABBAGE CHARLES: (1791-1871) English Mathematician & Inventor.

A.L.S., C Babbage, two pages, 4to, Dorset Street, Manchester Square, 7th January 1838, to a gentleman. Babbage announces 'I cannot readily suppose you have forgotten me nor do I wish at all to do more than give you every information you think requisite when you can act effectively must be left entirely to circumstances and your own judgement and I at least shall never urge you' and adds 'Most probably it will be desirable that I should be able to refer to books and papers when I see you & therefore I do not offer to visit you at Mortlake'. Babbage continues to explain 'I am almost always at home until twelve - and will be so for the next three days certainly. But if you sleep in town will you come and eat a beefsteak with me either on Tuesday at six or at any hour you will fix or else on Thursday. My house is undergoing a repair and I have only one habitable room or I would offer you a bed. I have two other subjects on which I wish to say a word.' Some extremely minor, very light age wear, VGBabbage generally favoured writing his letters on 8vo or 12mo paper, making the present, larger 4to example particularly desirable. Interestingly, American Book Prices Current, record several other letters by Babbage written on 4to paper, most written to eminent correspondents including Michael Faraday and Peter Mark Roget. It can safely be assumed therefore that Babbage held the recipient of the present letter in esteem given his choice of larger stationery.Babbage had a very large circle of friends and acquaintances who were frequent visitors to his home, where they were able to examine and admire the various examples of the analytical and difference engines. In 1838, the same year as the present letter, Babbage invented the pilot (or cowcatcher) during his time working for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. The device is mounted at the front of a locomotive to deflect obstacles on the track that might otherwise derail the train.An English Polymath, Babbage is best remembered for originating the concept of a programmable computer and is considered by some as the 'father of the computer'.