LAVOISIER (Antoine Laurent). - Lot 140

LAVOISIER (Antoine Laurent). Born in Paris.1743 - guillotined May 8, 1794. Chemist, designer. Autograph letter in the third person (signed at the top), addressed to Baron Dietrich. Paris, July 1, 1788. 1 page in-4. A beautiful letter. An engraved portrait of Lavoisier and his bookplate are included. ...M. Lavoisier, who has just returned from a short trip to Cherbourg and the surrounding area, has the honor of sending Monsieur le Baron Dietrich a copy of Kirwan's translation, which is nearing completion. He has enclosed a copy of M. de Morveau's observations, which should complete the work. He hopes that with these materials he will be able to begin the report. The printer requests it before printing is completed. M. Lavoisier has the honor of renewing to him the assurance of his most perfect attachment...This is lEssai sur le phlogistique, et sur la constitution des acides de M. Kirwan, translated from English, with notes by MM. de Morveau, Lavoisier, de La Place, Monge, Berthollet, & de Fourcroy. In 1788, the chemist's wife, MARIE-ANNE DE LAVOISIER, a chemist herself, had translated the work of Irish scientist Richard Kirwan (1733-1812), Essai sur le phlogistique et la constitution des acides, to be supplemented by critical notes written by Lavoisier and his collaborators.The father of modern chemistry and discoverer of oxygen, Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier's life and work bear witness to the greatness of 18th-century France. His research was collected in a Traité élémentaire de chimie, published in 1789. He was also a fermier général (tax collector), for which he was guillotined during the Revolution. The vice-president of the court is credited with saying: "The Republic doesn't need scientists!