[LAPLACE] ON MALUS'S DOUBLE REFRACTION EXPERIMENTS. LAPLACE, PIERRE SIMON. 1749-1821; HAÜY,...

[LAPLACE] ON MALUS'S DOUBLE REFRACTION EXPERIMENTS. LAPLACE, PIERRE SIMON. 1749-1821; HAÜY, RENÉ JUST. 1743-1822. Autograph Manuscript Signed ('La Place' and 'Haüy') in the hand of Laplace, being Laplace's report (with Haüy) to l'Academie des Sciences on Malus's work on double refraction and Huygen's law, 3 pp, folio (317 x 207 mm), bifolium, December 19, 1808, numerous emendations, marginal additions, and deletions, light foxing. AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF LAPLACE AND HAUY'S REPORT ON MALUS'S MEMOIRE PROVING THE POLARIZATION OF LIGHT AND CONFIRMING HUYGENS LAW ON DOUBLE REFRACTION. Malus's extraordinary findings set in motion a wave of experiments resulting in Fresnel's 1817 hypothesis of the transverse nature of light and his proof of the wave theory of light, a chain reaction that would lead to Maxwell's electromagnetism and Einstein's theory of relativity, transforming physics and ultimately launching the quantum age. Malus's famous experiments were ostensibly in response to the French Academy's announcement of a prize for a mathematical theory verified by experiment of the double refraction of light in crystallized substances. The early 18th-century saw two competing theories of light: the first, proposed first by Huygens in his landmark 1690 treatise Traite de la Lumiere was a wave-based theory of light; the second, proposed by Isaac Newton, was a corpuscular (or particle) theory of light. The Academy committee led by Laplace and Haüy were staunchly based in the corpuscular [particle] theory, and had launched the prize in part to find an experiment based proof of extraordinary refraction that would solidify their position. In fact, Malus's Memoire to the committee provided the perfect opportunity, which he submitted to the Academy on December 12, 1808, both proving Huygens law (but not his wave theory) algebraically, and discovering the polarization of light in the process. This autograph manuscript is Laplace's report to the Academy summarizing Malus's work and contextualizing it within the larger history of science and optics including Kepler, Huygens and Newton, declaring the experiments a triumph, and recommending their publication. In an interesting twist, Laplace would publish his own treatise on the subject in January 1809, 'Mémoire sur les mouvements de la lumière dans les milieux diaphanes,' offering a Newtonian-based mathematical proof of Huygen's law and denying Malus the priority for his work. Malus was awarded the Academie prize later that year but was furious with Laplace. In fact, much of the introductory text of Laplace's 1809 treatise is a word for word transcription of the text of Laplace's report to the Acadamie. Malus's experiments and Laplace's essay were seen as a grand victory for Laplace-Haüy-Malus and the corpuscle school. However, as noted above, their discovery also paved the way for Fresnel's discovery of the transverse wave nature of light, essentially ending the Newton-Huygens argument on the nature of light. This manuscript is central to the resolution of the long-running debate on the nature of light that was the focus of late 18th-early 19th century science, leading directly to the acceptance of wave theory which would usher in the modern era of physics and eventually quantum theory. A rare and remarkable document bringing together the three greatest French scientists of the era: Laplace ('the French Newton'), Haüy, and Malus. REFERENCES: Frankel, Eugene. 'Corpuscular Optics and the Wave Theory of Light: The Science and Politics of a Revolution in Physics.' Social Studies of Science 6:2 (May 1976), pp 141-184 Frankel, Eugene. 'The Search for a Corpuscular Theory of Double Refraction: Malus, Laplace and the Price Competition of 1808.' Centaurus 18:3 (September 1947), pp 223-245. Malus, Etienne. Théorie de la double réfraction de la lumière dans les substances cristallisées. Paris: Baudoin, 1810. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing