Adolphe Quételet (1796–1874) Belgian astronomer, mathematician and statistician - Autograph signed letter to Jeremias Cornelis Faber van Riemsdijk (1786–1863) Dutch jurist and - 1825

Historical Scientific Letter by the Renowned Belgian Astronomer and Statistician Adolphe Quételet to Jeremias Cornelis Faber van Riemsdijk (1825)

• Title: Original autograph letter signed by the world-famous polymath Adolphe Quételet, written in Brussels on December 19, 1825, addressed to Jeremias Cornelis Faber van Riemsdijk in The Hague, complete with original postal fold and postmark (BRUSSEL FRANCO).

• Content: Quételet expresses his gratitude for an inquiry on behalf of the Charity Society (Société de Bienfaisance) and enthusiastically offers his collaboration in mathematics, astronomy, and statistics (population statistics). However, he notes that while he can read and speak Dutch fluently, writing scientific and precise scholarly papers for the public in Dutch would be too demanding for his style, inquiring whether his French contributions could be translated.

Biographies of the Correspondents

• Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quételet (1796–1874): A Belgian astronomer, mathematician, and statistician. Quételet is considered the founder of modern social statistics (which he established in 1835) and laid crucial foundations for criminology through his work on moral statistics. He demonstrated that social phenomena and crime rates follow statistical regularities, and coined the concept of “l'homme moyen” (the average man). From 1828 onward, he served as the director of the Royal Observatory in Brussels. This letter dates from a highly dynamic period of his career shortly after his marriage in 1824.

• Jeremias Cornelis Faber van Riemsdijk (1786–1863): Born in Haarlem on June 3, 1786, and died in The Hague on October 6, 1863. He was a distinguished Dutch jurist and politician. His prominent career included serving as deputy mayor of The Hague (1811–1813), Attorney General (1837–1863), member of the House of Representatives of the States-General, and member of the Council of State in extraordinary service. In 1825, he was actively involved in commissions such as the Charity Society (Société de Bienfaisance) in The Hague.

Historical Context: Scientific Exchange between Belgium and the Netherlands

The letter illustrates the close scientific and administrative networks during the period of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands (prior to the Belgian Revolution of 1830). As Quételet expanded his pioneering statistical work in Brussels, Dutch officials like Faber van Riemsdijk sought out top-tier scholarly expertise. The linguistic nuance in the letter highlights the complex cultural and academic bridge between French and Dutch-speaking domains within the kingdom.

Anhang: Transkription und Übersetzung des Briefes von 1825

• Französisches Original:

o [Adresse:] A Monsieur J.C. Faber van Riemsdijk, de la Commission permanente de la Société de Bienfaisance, au bureau de la société, rue du Prince (Prinsestraat), à La Haye.
• [Brieftext:] Monsieur, / J’ai été très flatté de la lettre que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’adresser au nom de la Société de Bienfaisance, et je me ferais un véritable plaisir de coopérer au but qu’elle se propose si noblement. Si mon aide peut donc être agréable à la Société, soit pour les mathématiques, l’astronomie ou la statistique (partie population), j’l’offre bien volontairement; je dois cependant faire observer que quoique je lise et parle suffisamment bien la langue hollandaise, pour mon usage, il me serait impossible d’écrire dans cette langue pour le public, qui, même pour les sciences exactes, est devenu très délicat en faut de style. / Je vous prie, Monsieur, de vouloir bien me laisser savoir si mes offres peuvent convenir à la Société et si l’on pourrait se charger de la traduction de mes articles. Je vous prie en même temps, Monsieur, d’agréer l’assurance des sentiments de mon considération la plus distinguée. / Votre très obéissant serviteur / A. Quételet. / Bruxelles, le 19 Décembre 1825.

• Deutsche Übersetzung:

o [Adresse:] An Herrn J.C. Faber van Riemsdijk, der Ständigen Kommission der Wohltätigkeitsgesellschaft, im Büro der Gesellschaft, Prinzestraat, in Den Haag.
• [Text:] Herr, / Ich war sehr geehrt durch den Brief, den Sie mir im Namen der Wohltätigkeitsgesellschaft zu schreiben die Ehre hatten, und es wäre mir eine wahre Freude, an dem Ziel mitzuwirken, das sie sich so edel gesteckt hat. Wenn meine Hilfe der Gesellschaft also angenehm sein kann, sei es für Mathematik, Astronomie oder Statistik (Bevölkerungsstatistik), biete ich diese sehr gerne an; ich muss jedoch anmerken, dass, obwohl ich die holländische Sprache für meinen eigenen Gebrauch gut genug lese und spreche, es mir unmöglich wäre, in dieser Sprache für die Öffentlichkeit zu schreiben, welche selbst in den exakten Wissenschaften sehr anspruchsvoll geworden ist, was den Stil angeht. / Ich bitte Sie, Herr, mich wissen zu lassen, ob meine Angebote für die Gesellschaft passen und ob man die Übersetzung meiner Artikel übernehmen könnte. Gleichzeitig bitte ich Sie, Herr, die Versicherung meiner ausgezeichnetsten Hochachtung anzunehmen. / Ihr sehr gehorsamer Servant / A. Quételet. / Brüssel, den 19. Dezember 1825.

• English Translation:

o [Address:] To Mr. J.C. Faber van Riemsdijk, of the Permanent Commission of the Charity Society, at the Society's office, Prinzestraat, The Hague.
• [Letter text:] Sir, / I was very flattered by the letter you did me the honor of addressing to me on behalf of the Charity Society, and I would consider it a true pleasure to cooperate in the goal it so nobly proposes. If my help can therefore be agreeable to the Society, whether for mathematics, astronomy, or statistics (population branch), I offer it very willingly; I must, however, point out that although I read and speak the Dutch language well enough for my own use, it would be impossible for me to write in this language for the public, which, even for the exact sciences, has become very demanding in matters of style. / I beg you, Sir, to kindly let me know if my offers can suit the Society and if the translation of my articles could be undertaken. At the same time, I beg you, Sir, to accept the assurance of my highest consideration. / Your very obedient servant / A. Quételet. / Brussels, December 19, 1825.