French mathematician and astronomer (1749–1827) whose work was pivotal to the development of mathematical astronomy and statistics. ALS in French, signed “Laplace,” one page, 6.25 x 7.75, January 8, 1798. Letter to “Citizen Minister,” possibly Talleyrand who had succeeded Charles Delacroix as Foreign Minister. Letter is docketed in another hand in the upper right, “answered 24 nivose—wrote the same day to Ch. Delacroix.” In part (translated): “Accept my gratitude for helping me obtain the Arabic manuscript of Ibn Yunus in the possession of the Leyden Library…You inform me that the curators of that library cannot deacquisition it but propose to have a well collated copy made…my intention is to draw from the Arabic manuscripts all the observations and insights they can provide concerning the astronomy of the Middle Ages; the Arabs cultivated the science of Astronomy more than any other and only their observations can fill the gap which separates us from the Greeks and Chaldeans.
Citizen Coussin, Professor of Arabic at the College de France, will translate the Ibn Yunus ms. as well as work by Al-Battani in the Escorial Library. I asked you and our Ambassador in Spain to send it to me…its Latin translation is very bad…These two works comprise what is most excellent in Arab astronomy. It would do credit to the French Nation to print them along with their translations. The Republic’s printing office has the necessary [Arabic] characters; but before asking the government to do so it is necessary to wait for the manuscripts and their translations. A durable peace will make for progress in the Arts and Sciences—something one can’t reasonably ask for in the present circumstances.” Intersecting folds, a uniform shade of mild toning, with a few slightly heavier spots, and a couple light notations, otherwise fine condition. Letter originates from the famous Albin Schram collection sold by Christies in 2007, and comes with the original auction tag.
The 10th-century Egyptian astronomer Ibn Yunus, identified in this correspondence, is best known as having compiled tables of the planetary motions; the other figure identified by name, Syrian astronomer and scientist al-Battani, refined existing values for the length of the year and of the seasons. Laplace studied these well-known Arab scientists, whose important works improved upon the foundation set by such predecessors as Ptolemy. Laplace followed a similar course and is known to have studied a Yunus manuscript held at Leiden pertaining to eclipses—research, as noted on this page, that was translated by a professor of Arabic at the College de France. His reference to both men and their investigations of the heavens during the Middle Ages came just prior to the initial publication of Celestial Mechanics, the French astronomer’s five-volume summary and extension of the work of his predecessors, published from 1799 to 1825. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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