History of book exchange between the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences and France in the 1840s: unknown archival documents

Abstract

The archival documents related to the appointment of a commissioner of the Imperial Saint-Petersburg Academy of Sciences in France in 1844 is being published for the first time. This is the official letters of Permanent secretary of the Saint-Petersburg Academy of sciences P. N. Fus 16.06. and 5.07.1844 to the director of the Office of the Minister of Public Education V. D. Komovsky. Fulfilling the instructions of the Academy of Sciences during his trip abroad in 1843 Fus searched in France – in Strasbourg and Paris – for a candidate among local booksellers suitable for the position of commissioner of the Academy. His responsibility was to purchase at reasonable prices the scientific literature in French necessary for the Academy of Sciences, along with the sale of its publications in France. At the same time financial considerations played a significant role and above all, the desire to reduce the Academy’s expenses for the purchase of European scientific literature. Regarding the candidacy for the post of commissioner, Fus consulted with members of the French Institute and with leading French scientists, orientalists and philologists J. T. Reinaud, S. A. Julien, C. B. Hase, who recommended to him the publisher and commissioner of the Royal Library of France B. Duprat. In an effort to ensure the most favorable conditions for the sale of Russian academic publications in France Fus appealed to its Minister of Foreign Affairs F. Guizot, asked to exempt the French-language editions of the Academy of Sciences from the high customs duties imposed by the law against Belgian book forgeries. Duprat also participated in the decision on the abolition of these duties. He was appointed commissioner of the Academy of Sciences and remained in this position for a long time. The publication is accompanied by introductory article and scientific commentary.