PORTIER (Paul). - Lot 246

PORTIER (Paul). Bar-sur-Seine, 1866 – Paris, 1962. French biologist and marine zoologist; collaborator with Charles Richet in the study of anaphylaxis. Autograph letter signed “P. Portier,” addressed to “Dear Madam.” Paris, November 15, 1951. 1½ pages, in-8 format, on letterhead from the Oceanographic Institute, 195 rue Saint-Jacques. A moving letter, written in a tone that is both grateful and reflective, in which Portier mentions the many expressions of friendship he receives—which he considers “almost excessive”—while confiding that his correspondent’s message touches him particularly deeply because of their shared memories. The scholar then offers a poignant reflection on longevity, which he considers both a “great strength” and a “great weakness,” implicitly lamenting the premature deaths of his contemporaries. He mentions in particular Maurice Emmanuel, whom he describes as a “superior man,” revealing a deep admiration mixed with a sense of injustice at the hand of fate. The letter concludes on a more personal note, with Portier mentioning his collaborator Franck Emmanuel as well as his intention to visit Mademoiselle Emmanuel, revealing the close ties he maintains with this family. A brief yet dense document, imbued with sensitivity and reflection on time, memory, and affection—characteristic of the scholar’s later writings.