FLAMMARION CAMILLE: (1842-1925) French Astronomer, and prolific Author. A fine A.L.S., ` ...

FLAMMARION CAMILLE: (1842-1925) French Astronomer, and prolific Author. A fine A.L.S., ` Flammarion´, two pages, 8vo, Paris, 5th December 1899, to Pierre-Roger Des Varennes, in French. On the printed stationery of the Société Astronomique de France, Flammarion writes to his correspondent and author of his biography, and states in part `Permettez-moi, Monsieur, de vous remercier de cette charmante biographie qui me présente, d´ailleurs, sous un jour beucoup trop flatteur. Si j´ai un mérite, c´est de consacrer ma vie au progrès intellectuel de l´humanité, race encore bien barbare et bien sauvage...´ (Translation: " Allow me, Sir, to thank you for this charming biography which presents me, moreover, in a much too flattering light. If I have one merit, it is to devote my life to the intellectual progress of humanity, a race that is still very barbaric and very savage...") Further saying ` Je vous transmets, en même temps que votre manuscrit, la nouvelle édition, gracieusement illustrée, qui vient d´être faite de Lumen...´ (Translation: " I am sending you, at the same time as your manuscript, the new edition, graciously illustrated, which has just been produced with Lumen...") With blank integral leaf. Very small professional repair to the spine, otherwise VG