Correspondents, Interlocutors, Mentors and Dramatis Personae
Alexis Clairault (1713-1765)
French mathematician, astronomer, and geophysicist
Tutor, mentor, correspondent
My departure does not depend absolutely on me, but on Clairaut and the difficulty of what I do. I sacrifice everything to that, even my looks. I beg you to remember that if you find me changed. Have you any idea of the life I have led since the departure of the king? I rise at 9 o’clock, sometimes at 8, I work until 3, I have my coffee at 3 o’clock; I take up work again at 4, I leave it at 10 in order to have a little to eat alone, I chat until midnight with M. de V., who attends my supper, and I take up work again from midnight to 5 o’clock. Sometimes I wait for M. Clairaut, and I attend to my affairs and read through my proofs. Mme Du Deffand, Mme de B, everybody without exception is denied for supper and I have made a rule for myself not to go out to supper, in order to be able to finish my work
Du Châtelet to Saint-Lambert, 21 May 1749
French mathematician, astronomer, and geophysicist
Tutor, mentor, correspondent
My departure does not depend absolutely on me, but on Clairaut and the difficulty of what I do. I sacrifice everything to that, even my looks. I beg you to remember that if you find me changed. Have you any idea of the life I have led since the departure of the king? I rise at 9 o’clock, sometimes at 8, I work until 3, I have my coffee at 3 o’clock; I take up work again at 4, I leave it at 10 in order to have a little to eat alone, I chat until midnight with M. de V., who attends my supper, and I take up work again from midnight to 5 o’clock. Sometimes I wait for M. Clairaut, and I attend to my affairs and read through my proofs. Mme Du Deffand, Mme de B, everybody without exception is denied for supper and I have made a rule for myself not to go out to supper, in order to be able to finish my work
Du Châtelet to Saint-Lambert, 21 May 1749
Leonhard Euler (1707- 1783)
Swiss mathematician, physicist, astronomer, geographer, logician and engineer
Correspondent
Euler and Du Châtelet corresponded with one another and he also discussed her work in his letters to others. In a letter written on 30th of May 1744, Euler provided a long commentary on the Institutions and praised her hypotheses chapter.
Swiss mathematician, physicist, astronomer, geographer, logician and engineer
Correspondent
Euler and Du Châtelet corresponded with one another and he also discussed her work in his letters to others. In a letter written on 30th of May 1744, Euler provided a long commentary on the Institutions and praised her hypotheses chapter.
Pierre Louis Maupertuis (1698-1759)
Mathematician, philosopher and man of letters
Tutor, mentor and correspondent
We have used your absence to render the people who inhabit Cirey worthy of you, for one does not lose hope of seeing you here one day. We have become real philosophers. The companion of my solitude has written an introduction to the philosophy of M. Newton, which he has dedicated to me and the frontispiece of which I send you. I believe that you will find the verses worthy of the philosopher of whom they speak, and of the poet who made them. You will find this almost printed on your return. If you had been in this part of the world, one would have asked for your advice. You have for a very long time wanted to make a philosopher of the first of our poets and you have succeeded, for your advice contributed to his determination to give himself up to his thirst for knowledge. As for me, you know more or less the dose of physics and mathematics I can take. I enjoy a great advantage over the greatest philosophers: that of having had you as my master. I am yet more proud, if possible, to see that you have not forgotten me.
Du Châtelet to Maupertuis, 1 December 1736
Mathematician, philosopher and man of letters
Tutor, mentor and correspondent
We have used your absence to render the people who inhabit Cirey worthy of you, for one does not lose hope of seeing you here one day. We have become real philosophers. The companion of my solitude has written an introduction to the philosophy of M. Newton, which he has dedicated to me and the frontispiece of which I send you. I believe that you will find the verses worthy of the philosopher of whom they speak, and of the poet who made them. You will find this almost printed on your return. If you had been in this part of the world, one would have asked for your advice. You have for a very long time wanted to make a philosopher of the first of our poets and you have succeeded, for your advice contributed to his determination to give himself up to his thirst for knowledge. As for me, you know more or less the dose of physics and mathematics I can take. I enjoy a great advantage over the greatest philosophers: that of having had you as my master. I am yet more proud, if possible, to see that you have not forgotten me.
Du Châtelet to Maupertuis, 1 December 1736
Voltaire(1694-1778)
Lover, friend and collaborator
My mind is overwhelmed, but my heart swims in joy. The hope that this step will persuade him that I love him obscures all other ideas, and I can only see the extreme happiness of curing all his fears and of spending my life with him.
[Du Châtelet to Richelieu, 30 June 1735 ]
Lover, friend and collaborator
My mind is overwhelmed, but my heart swims in joy. The hope that this step will persuade him that I love him obscures all other ideas, and I can only see the extreme happiness of curing all his fears and of spending my life with him.
[Du Châtelet to Richelieu, 30 June 1735 ]
Jean-François de Saint Lambert(1716-1803)
French poet, philosopher and military officer, du Châtelet's lover
You wrote me once that you could come to Paris. Do you still have this project, do you imagine this possibility? It would be great to be there; we would spend our lives together, face to face, but it might be that it would be unbearable for you, especially during the first trip. If I go to Cirey this fall, or any time soon, I will have to come back here this winter to see M. de Richelieu and for my Newton, which is a very serious business and very essential for me. I can’t work on it now, I’m so dazzled; I only vegetate, and I only feel that I am capable of thinking and feeling because I love you.
[Du Châtelet to Saint Lambert, 5 June 1748]
French poet, philosopher and military officer, du Châtelet's lover
You wrote me once that you could come to Paris. Do you still have this project, do you imagine this possibility? It would be great to be there; we would spend our lives together, face to face, but it might be that it would be unbearable for you, especially during the first trip. If I go to Cirey this fall, or any time soon, I will have to come back here this winter to see M. de Richelieu and for my Newton, which is a very serious business and very essential for me. I can’t work on it now, I’m so dazzled; I only vegetate, and I only feel that I am capable of thinking and feeling because I love you.
[Du Châtelet to Saint Lambert, 5 June 1748]
Frederick the Great(1712-1786)
Correspondent
I am my own person and only responsible to myself for everything I am, what I say, and what I do. There may be metaphysicians and philosophers whose knowledge is greater than mine. I haven’t met them yet. But even they are only weak human beings with faults, and when I count my gifts, I think I may say that I am inferior to none.
[Du Châtelet to Frederick the Great, 1740]
Correspondent
I am my own person and only responsible to myself for everything I am, what I say, and what I do. There may be metaphysicians and philosophers whose knowledge is greater than mine. I haven’t met them yet. But even they are only weak human beings with faults, and when I count my gifts, I think I may say that I am inferior to none.
[Du Châtelet to Frederick the Great, 1740]
Johann II Bernoulli (1710– 1790)
He was the youngest of the three sons of the Swiss mathematician Johann Bernoulli and on the death of his father he succeeded him as professor of mathematics in the University of Basel.
I have come here to finish my Newton, and I won’t leave until it is finished. You will certainly receive one of the first copies. I am very sorry not to have been able to bring your insights into the work, but I would like you to find it worthy of you.[Du Châtelet to JohannII Bernoulli, 15 February, 1749]
He was the youngest of the three sons of the Swiss mathematician Johann Bernoulli and on the death of his father he succeeded him as professor of mathematics in the University of Basel.
I have come here to finish my Newton, and I won’t leave until it is finished. You will certainly receive one of the first copies. I am very sorry not to have been able to bring your insights into the work, but I would like you to find it worthy of you.[Du Châtelet to JohannII Bernoulli, 15 February, 1749]
François Jacquier (1711-1788)
French mathematician who spent most of his life in the Minim Monastery in Rome. Along with Thomas Le Seur he edited a highly annotated edition of Newton's Principia.
Correspondent
Tell me if you saw my daughter at Naples and if you were happy about it. She must have given birth now […] They haven’t started printing my Newton yet. Figures are engraved. It will be a matter of six months before the book can appear. I would very much like to be able to consult you and truly express the esteem and friendship with which I am, sir, your very humble and very obedient servant.[Du Châtelet to Jacquier, 17 December, 1745]
French mathematician who spent most of his life in the Minim Monastery in Rome. Along with Thomas Le Seur he edited a highly annotated edition of Newton's Principia.
Correspondent
Tell me if you saw my daughter at Naples and if you were happy about it. She must have given birth now […] They haven’t started printing my Newton yet. Figures are engraved. It will be a matter of six months before the book can appear. I would very much like to be able to consult you and truly express the esteem and friendship with which I am, sir, your very humble and very obedient servant.[Du Châtelet to Jacquier, 17 December, 1745]