CARNOT, Hippolyte (1801-1888). French politician, Minister o - Lot 20

CARNOT, Hippolyte (1801-1888). French politician, Minister of Public Instruction under the Second Republic, Republican deputy and figure of the 19th-century liberal democratic movement. Autograph letter signed and addressed to Jules Simon, undated, with autograph inscription on verso: "Monsieur Jules Simon, 10 place de la Madeleine". A charming letter of recommendation, written in a friendly, familiar tone. In it, Carnot recommends to Jules Simon "a polytechnicien" in "great need of rest and fresh air", probably as part of a search for a stay or placement in the provinces. In particular, the signatory writes: "Mon cher ami, j'amène à la campagne mon polytechnicien, qui a grand besoin de repos et d'air libre..." (My dear friend, I'm taking my polytechnician to the country, who is in great need of rest and fresh air...). He then adds: "I have eight francs that Catalan asked me to send you...". a likely allusion to the mathematician Eugène Catalan, who was close to the intellectual and republican circles of the time. This letter, which is more intimate than political, sheds light on the relational network and personal solidarities between the great republican figures of the 19th century. The handwritten address to Jules Simon adds further interest. One page in-8 on folded leaf with autograph address on verso; folds and minor wear, not serious; generally well preserved.