Laplace (Pierre Simon) Papers, 1697-1873

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Summary

Title:
Pierre Simon Laplace papers
Dates:
1697-1873
Creators:
Laplace, Pierre Simon, marquis de, 1749-1827
Abstract:
Includes scientific papers, published and unpublished; texts of formal scientific projects; correspondence, both scientific and personal; political papers; papers related to personal matters ranging from business accounts to household receipts; the correspondence of Madame Laplace, including hundreds of letters exchanged with her family and with Princess Elisa, Napoleon's sister; also includes hundreds of letters exchanged with scientists and their spouses, letters related to Madame Laplace's appointment as Lady-in-Waiting, and letters from members of the Bonaparte family; the papers of the son, Charles Emile Laplace, including hundreds of letters exchanged between mother and son and many letters from major French figures of the time; records pertaining to Laplace's father, Pierre de Laplace of Beaumont-en-Auge (Normandy), who died in 1788.
Extent:
Number of containers: 32 boxes Linear feet: 12.8
Language:
Collection materials are in French
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Pierre Simon Laplace Papers, BANC MSS 89/120 z, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Background

Scope and content:

Includes scientific papers, published and unpublished; texts of formal scientific projects; correspondence, both scientific and personal; political papers; papers related to personal matters ranging from business accounts to household receipts; the correspondence of Madame Laplace, including hundreds of letters exchanged with her family and with Princess Elisa, Napoleon's sister; also includes hundreds of letters exchanged with scientists and their spouses, letters related to Madame Laplace's appointment as Lady-in-Waiting, and letters from members of the Bonaparte family; the papers of the son, Emile Laplace, including hundreds of letters exchanged between mother and son and many letters from major French figures of the time; records pertaining to Laplace's father, Pierre de Laplace of Beaumont-en-Auge (Normandy), who died in 1788.

Biographical / historical:

Pierre Simon Laplace (1749-1827) was France's premier astronomer and mathematician for over half a century spanning the period of the French Revolution. He was also a prominent public figure and was named Minister of Interior in 1799 by Napoleon.

See Roger Hahn, Pierre Simon Laplace, 1749-1827: A Determined Scientist (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2005).

Acquisition information:
The Pierre Simon Laplace Papers were purchased from Aux Amateurs de Livres, Paris, France, by The Bancroft Library in December 1988.
Processing information:

Processed by Bancroft Library staff; rehoused by Eresmia Ouranitsas in 2007.

Arrangement:

Arranged to the container level.

Accruals:

No additions are expected.

Physical location:
Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding Aid written by Bancroft Library staff; input by Eresmia Ouranitsas
Date Prepared:
© 2007
Date Encoded:
Machine-readable finding aid generated by Finding Aid author(s) via EAD XPress; markup validated by The Bancroft Library staff using OAC validation tools; Date of source: July 2009

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. Materials in these collections are protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) and may not be used without permission of The Bancroft Library. Use may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, privacy and publicity rights, licensing terms, and trademarks. All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000. See: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html.

Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Pierre Simon Laplace Papers, BANC MSS 89/120 z, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Location of this collection:
University of California, Berkeley, The Bancroft Library
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000, US
Contact:
510-642-6481
bancref-library@berkeley.edu
Website