Friday, December 17, 2010

Gabrielle-Émilie Le Tonnelier de Breteuil, Marquise du Châtelet...Voltaire-Newton-Leibniz

Émilie du Châtelet
December 17th, 1706 to September 10th, 1749

Émilie du Châtelet was a French mathematician and physicist who was the mistress of Voltaire. She took to mathematics and the sciences, being exposed to distinguished guests of her aristocratic parents. Emilie was interested in the philosophies of Newton and Leibniz, and dressed as a man to enter the cafes where the scientific discussions of the time were carried on. Châtelet's major work was a translation of Newton's Principia, begun in 1745. Voltaire wrote the preface. The complete work appeared in 1759 and was for many years the only translation of the Principia into French. She died in 1749, a few days after giving birth to her daughter.

Émilie du Châtelet [Wikipedia]

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