Bibliography:
http://mattson.creighton.edu/History_Gas_Chemistry/Lavoisier.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/antoine-lavoisier
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Lavoisier
http://antoine-lavoisier.com/
http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/biography/Lavoisier.html
http://cti.itc.virginia.edu/~meg3c/classes/tcc313/200Rprojs/lavoisier2/home.html
http://thinkexist.com/quotes/antoine_lavoisier/
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/antoine_lavoisier.html
http://www.quotesdaddy.com/author/Antoine+Lavoisier
http://www.todayinsci.com/L/Lavoisier_Antoine/LavoisierAntoine-Quotations.htm
http://thinkexist.com/quotation/a_man_cannot_live_more_than-hours_unless_he_has/154692.html
Commemoration of a Great Man
Commemoration in the form of a statue, of my husband, the great man of science, Antoine Lavoisier.
A portrait painted in commemoration of Antoine Lavoisier.
One of the many statues erected in Paris celebrating Lavoisier's genius.
Our portrait, painted by Jacque-Louis David (1788) during my husband's life; shown here to remember my devotion to him, and his ever-present devotion and love to science and progress.
Written by Madame Lavoisier
My husband, who has been so dear to me all these years, is silenced by the crude device of the revolution, the formidable guillotine. His death on May 8, 1794 has affected me quite dreadfully. I cannot help but think that it is my fault, as it is through his connection to me and the Ferme that he has met such an end. Since then, I have suffered the intolerable silence and loneliness that is the life of a widow, and often reflect upon much happier times when my husband was alive and we would share moments of scientific englightenment. Since my husband's death, things have settled down quite a lot, and this Thermidorean Reaction appears to be a period of peace and stability, for which I am grateful. If only my husband could have lived through those crude times of the great massacre of Monsieur Robspierre! Although my husband had asked me to maintain this scientific journal for him after his death so that he could continue to enlighten people with his presence and discoveries, the memory of this journal strikes me so hard that it unsettles me and brings tears to my eyes. Forgive me if I have not been keeping the public informed and for not respecting my husband's wishes. Yet I write today, partly to come to terms with my grief, but mainly to document a singular event. Only a few days before, one and a half years after his death, I received a letter from the French government informing me that my husband had been exonerated. Inside the parcel were his personal belongings and a brief note: "To the widow of Lavoisier, who was falsely convicted."I do not know how to respond to this peculiar event: should I feel enraged that my husband, so greatly wronged, is only remembered by such few unmeaningful words, or should I take satisfaction in knowing that people now admit thier mistake in wrongfully persecuting him? Either way, I have decided to end this public scientific journal once and for all, in the hopes the my silence will not deter those who have admire Antoine Lavoisier's scientific accomplishments. I am depending on everyone to remember him after his death and to let his legacy live on in you memories as a supporter of the people and an intelligent man of science, wronged and killed. He will forever live on in my heart as my dear husband, my love, and my partner in the pursuits of the mysteries of mankind.
Illustrations From My Scientific Journals
This is a drawing of my experiment of combustion, generated by focusing sunlight on flammable materials through lenses (drawn and documented by Madame Lavoisier).
Another document of my experiments concerning combustion.
This above picture is of me experimenting on respiration (in the 1770s) after my discovery of oxygen as crucial in respiration.
This is the room in which I work in, the laboratory in which I toil for days until I can reach a successful and plausible scientific conclusion.
This is a machine I have devised in my first phlogiston theory, through which I tried to prove the faults of phlogiston to the scientific community.
Bitter Recollections: A Final Farewell
On this eve of my death, when all else has been taken from me, I only have my memories left which only serve to confuse and anger me, and even bringing me to sorrow. People have been listening to the conspirational lies that Marat splatters into his L'Ami du peuple. It is said that I am a counterrevolutionary who does not serve the revolution, and who brings suffering to the people. Yet, how can they so blindly stare me in the eye and accuse me of the wrongs of a traitor and ignorant pig, when I strived so hard, even in the beginnings of the revolution, to help the people's voice be heard? Is it because I am of noble blood? Is it because of my connection to the Ferme? In my last moments, I shall not be emotional, and shall try to process everything scientifically and logically. I have determined that theses people are bloodthirsty and can only achieve happiness through slaughter; I am a conspicious victim because of my noble status, though I do not wield it with arrogance, and my position as administrator of the Ferme, even if I spent the whole of my career attempting to better the people's lives. I am hated from both sides: on my own side of nobles, I am regarded as sympathetic and idiotically ideal, and people oppose my ideas because of the possibility that it undermines the power they wield over the Third Estate. Yet, despite the fact that I have castrated myself from my own peers of status to fight in representation of the common people, I am still hated for a birth I could not control and a responsibility I only took in the hope of contribution to these very people!
I do not want to seem as if I am desperately accusing in my last moments, but as I have nothing else to fear, I shall divulge the very reason why I am being most horribly singled out by Jean-Paul Marat, the uncontrollably angry raving lunatic. Years earlier, Marat was only one insignificant man among millions, and had persevered to become a man of science. He had shown me a "scientific invention" which he explained to me was unseen and did not measure anything. I dismissed it as preposterous, ridiculous, and uselss as anyone would, since his so-called "invention" is invisible and of no function. Although I could have been more gentle in my review of this invention, it still does not give Marat the right to shout out all these lies and convictions about me. This immature action only proves that he is a cowardly, grudge-holding, revenge-seeking "little person" who happened to rise in influence as the most lunatic among raving madness, and is now inappropriately wielding his misplaced power by trying to mend his broken ego through unjust means.
But I know that no matter what I say, I cannot convince people of my innocence. I am dubbed as a traitor to my dear country France, which I so dearly love, after an enraging unfair trial held by revolutionists hungry to see more blood spilled. I, who have shouted for equality and reform above all, am now dubbed as a counterrevolutionists. After finally accepting my shameful and wrongful title, I dejectedly requested for the chance to only finish my current experiments, so that I could rest in peace. The judge cut me off curtly, telling me that the work of my life had been useless and that the revolution has no need for science. Even the most simple and humane of rights, that I was to die in peace, was refused to me. Now, I am a hated traitor who must be bloodily tortured and silence to appease twisted people I tried so hard to assist in their conditions. Alas, I only regret the sorrows I know my wife will suffer from my death, and the loss of the scientific community once I am gone and there is no one else to make insightful contributions. I shall die a truly stoic and valiant death that is befitting of the wronged genius revolutionary that I am. This is my final farewell, in which I will only say: ""Cela leur a pris seulement un instant pour lui couper la tête, mais la France pourrait ne pas en produire une autre pareille en un siècle." ("It took them only an instant to cut off his head, but France may not produce another such head in a century.")".
The Revolution and Its Effects
France is in a state of confusion and absolute terror. I fear greatly for the sanity of my fellow Frenchmen, and feel that things have gone too far in the attempts at reform and that in people's search for a better life, they have only created cause for even greater sorrow in their life. However, I do not scorn at the revolution and do acknowledge that we have come a long from the previous system of complete monarchy. For one, the equality between citizens that I have long believed in, advocated, and worked towards is finally beginning to take form, and it seems as if there is hope in a free and fair republic that we have long dreamed of. Also, though I do not much agree with this new dechristianization that is is spreading, for it is messy and cofusing as change always is, I find the system of tens to be one of the most logical and innovative ideas as of yet. Therefore, to contribute to and show my approval of this new system in the revolution, I have devised my own system of measurements, based upon the system of tens that recent reforms have popularized. The idea is to abandon the ways of the Old Regime, when every different measurement had a different name and number, and to progress into a system based upon simplicity and effectiveness. This new system, of which I have dubbed "the metric system" is quite simple: measurements will be named on a base, such as meter for length, liter for volume, and different names for each type of measurement, and the extents will be logically labeled by "milli" or "centi" and such. (For a clearer and more detailed explanation, see my published work, Elementary Treatise on Chemistry.)
However, I do see faults in this revolution. I would not classify myself as a radicalist, yet I am far from (and would never dream of being) a counterrevolutionary. Instead, my views are liberal, and in view of the radical changes that have taken place and are unfolding every moment, I must express a negative opinion of these changes. Some may have actually been beneficial, but others, like the guillotine, are not. The guillotine, although effective, has become a symbol of terror for all, and strikes fear in the hearts of all, not just in our enemies as it was intended to. Adding to the feeling of mass paranoia is the idiot Jean-Paul Marat, who with his feathered pen and complaining voice write down injustices and voice them out to people without direction in his L'Ami du peuple. It is this rogue that drives us slaughter each other and seek to kill those whom we would have once embraced. Through this example, it is obvious that we must curtail our bloodthirstiness in order to prevent slipping into even more unnecessary damage and changes. I only want what is best for the revolutionary and France, and hope that my voice, reason among madness, will be heard above the hoarse cries of radicals for reforms and blood.
Reflections on French Politics and Economy
Although I had eternally regarded the study of law with disdain, I found an interest in something aside from my passion for chemistry and science - politics. It was only a trivial interest, nothing like my devotion for the sciences, and yet I decided to pursue this area of interest. Therefore, I joined the Ferme Générale, a private tax farming company, in the hopes of making a contribution to my dear country and to help solve the economic problems that have so harmfully affected France. This is also the connection through which I had initially met my dear wife, Marie-Anne Pierette Paulze, now Madame Lavoisier. Previously, I was only a tax collector, yet I have recently become the administrator for the Ferme. I will attempt to introduce systems more fitting and just. In my previous observations, I have recognized that peasants suffer from hunger, hardship, and inequality. While we nobles, who are most liable and able to pay the required tax, are exempt from taxation the peasants, with no money to even feed their family, must surrender a majority of their earnings to different outlets. Although from a personal standpoint I am grateful for not having to pay tax, I also feel that as prominent and important members of society, we should all contribute to our state and its cause and wellbeing as much as we can. Therefore, I will attempt to introduce reforms in our current monetary and taxation system to prevent unfair toll on peasants (in order to lighten their load and make for a more logical and effective system of taxation) and to promote equality between all citizens, in order to ensure that our taxing system is efficient and effective, unlike our current one. To those who scorn such a reform in the fear that their privileged position is threatened, I will remind you of the current state that France is in, and hope that the kind-hearted citizens of France will agree with me in saying that contribution to the greater will and "bigger picture" is more necessary than that of our own selfish needs.
It's Not Phlogiston, It's Oxygen!
For those of you who do not know, the Phlogiston theory, proposed by Johann Joachim Becker in 1677, is a lousy attempt at explaining the unseen forces at work within the process of comubstion and rust. Although I do salute to Becker for being able to recognize a relating factor between combustion and rust, and for realizing that it is a chemcial process, the idea of the so-called "phlogiston", or as some of you may know it by oxygen, is utterly absurd! It proposes that all flammable materials only burn because of a uncharacterize substance called phlogiston, that has no mass (some have even gone as far as to say that it has negative weight) that is released when objects are burned. After a material is burned, it is said to be "dephlogisticated" and becomes its true form, "calx". Dephlogistication is said to be of utmost importance, as phlogisticated air is supposedly uselss, and does not support combustion, nor does is support life; therefore, respiration removes phlogiston from the body.
Those of you who have been educated in this way have been tricked by professors sprouting nonsense! In fact, if they had preached the opposite of this theory, they would have been surprisingly accurate. My research has once and for all squashed his theory and confirmed the whispers of those, such as Joseph Priestly, who have more logic and common sense to realize the absurdity of this theory. I, through my extensive research, know otherwise. "About eight days ago I discovered that sulfur in burning, far from losing weight, on the contrary, gains it; it is the same with phosphorus; this increase of weight arises from a prodigious quantity of air that is fixed during combustion and combines with the vapors. This discovery, which I have established by experiments, that I regard as decisive, has led me to think that what is observed in the combustion of sulfur and phosphorus may well take place in the case of all substances that gain in weight by combustion and calcination; and I am persuaded that the increase in weight of metallic calxes is due to the same cause." Coincidence proved me correct when Priestly visited Paris and at dinner, told me his discovery of dephlogisticated air, and when Scheele wrote me a letter asking me to repeat an experiment that produced oxygen (dephlogisticated air). Another experiment showed that the part of the Phlogiston Theory that states calx cannot be reversed is also wrong.
There you have it, guys. Becker was far from the truth, and I, through my genius, have discovered the truth, which I have dubbed the Oxygen Theory. There is no such thing as Phlogiston, which in actually, is "a vague principle which is not at all rigorously defined, and which, in consequence, adapts itself to all explanations in which it is wished it shall enter." The element to which people so wrongfully refer to and think of as harmful and useless to human nature, is actually essential! On the subject of oxygen, my conclusion is such: "A man cannot live more than 24 hours unless he has at least three cubic meters of air that is being constantly replaced."
About Me: A Short Summary
My father Jean-Antoine Lavosier was a reputable lawyer and my mother Emilie Punctis was from an influential and wealthy family. Therefore, when I was born on August 26, 1743 in Paris, France, I was fortunate to have been born into such favorable circumstances as an affluent and respected family. I had a fairly fortunate and agreeable upbringing, same as any of nobility and status. When I was 5 years old, my dear mother passed away, and therefore, I inherited a large inhertence and was raised mostly by my mother's cousin my aunt Constance Punctis. I went to College Mazarin starting from 1754, until recently in 1761; however, I only did so (completed a law degree) by my father's wishes and didn't take any happiness from it. My only happiness came from the additional courses I took in chemistry, botany, astronomy, and mathematics, where my true passion lay. Although I obtained my liscence to practice law in 1764, my interests are still in the knowledge of chemicals and nature, as is obvious by my publication on chemistry in the same year. Therefore, during my free time away from my work as the administrator and investor of the Ferme Générale, the private tax collection company, and as chairman of the Discount Bank (Banque de France) I shall document my dabbles in science and maintain this scientific journal to record new discoveries with the aid of my lovely wife, Marie-Anne Pierette Paulze and her talent for languages and illustrations.
Concerning the France in which I live and the condition of our society, I am well aware of the the many changes that are taking place as I make it a habit to know all the social, political, and economic issues France is embroiled in whether they concern me or not. To inform those not involved in France affairs, I shall introduce the state and structure of France. France presides as a monarchy, but there are some stirrings among those outspoken and influenced by new ideas, to inspire freedom and equality. That being said, at the moment, France's social structure is extremely divided. the poor in the most wretched and horrible conditions imaginable, while the extremely rich are lavished in riches and gain yet more money. Of course, there are those in between, yet these people are forever trying to reach upper ranks, even if they do have as much money as some of the poorer nobles. As for political affairs, although the the beginning of the new king and queen's reign was met with acceptance and praise, I can sense that things are soon to become dire. The queen is spendthrifty and seeks too many pleasures, while the king is unable to make a decision. Years into their marriage, they have yet to produce an heir. As the court and royals indulge themselves in gluttony, a majority of France is suffering from hunger and starvation. Talk is circulating the whole of France, and to be truthful, they are not very pleasant to the ears. If no progress is made and the peasants are not appeased, I fear that there will be revolts; not only do I fear for my status and position, I also fear for France, and hope that things do not lead to thus. France is surrounded by paranoia and yet, I see hope in science, which may lead us into a bright and safe future!
Concerning the France in which I live and the condition of our society, I am well aware of the the many changes that are taking place as I make it a habit to know all the social, political, and economic issues France is embroiled in whether they concern me or not. To inform those not involved in France affairs, I shall introduce the state and structure of France. France presides as a monarchy, but there are some stirrings among those outspoken and influenced by new ideas, to inspire freedom and equality. That being said, at the moment, France's social structure is extremely divided. the poor in the most wretched and horrible conditions imaginable, while the extremely rich are lavished in riches and gain yet more money. Of course, there are those in between, yet these people are forever trying to reach upper ranks, even if they do have as much money as some of the poorer nobles. As for political affairs, although the the beginning of the new king and queen's reign was met with acceptance and praise, I can sense that things are soon to become dire. The queen is spendthrifty and seeks too many pleasures, while the king is unable to make a decision. Years into their marriage, they have yet to produce an heir. As the court and royals indulge themselves in gluttony, a majority of France is suffering from hunger and starvation. Talk is circulating the whole of France, and to be truthful, they are not very pleasant to the ears. If no progress is made and the peasants are not appeased, I fear that there will be revolts; not only do I fear for my status and position, I also fear for France, and hope that things do not lead to thus. France is surrounded by paranoia and yet, I see hope in science, which may lead us into a bright and safe future!
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