Jean Sylvain BAILLY (1736-1793) scholar and astronomer, first Mayor of Paris, guillotined. 2 L.A.S., 1782, to Abbé Paolo Frisi, in Milan; 1 and 2 pages in-4, addresses. Belles lettres scientifiques, and on his conflict with d'Alembert. [Paolo Frisi (1728-1784) was a renowned Milanese mathematician and astronomer.] July 6, 1782. He sends him the 3rd volume of the History of modern astronomy: "it is the delicate part; because it is about living people. [...] I have only taken the great objects, but with a sincere desire to be fair", even towards those he has to complain about, like D'Alembert, "who for twelve years has done me all the harm he could. If I am not unhappy it is thanks to my character". But he regrets not to have been able to say more about Frisi... 3 December. He received Frisi's praises, as well as his Cosmography, and his Treatise of Algebra. He thanks him for it. "My studies and my small compositions take a lot of my time and often exhaust my strength. [...] Your approval is of the small number of those which are the reward of my works. [...] I see that you have in view the precession of the equinoxes and the satellites of Jupiter". He comes back to D'Alembert, "whom I do not want to flatter for the precession of equinoxes", on which he quoted Euler, as well as Lagrange for the satellites... "and if I dared to speak about myself it is as an astronomer and with the modesty that suits me". He explains his conflict with d'Alembert: "Formerly he wanted me to be secretary of the academy. Then he managed to exclude me, to place Mr de Condorcet there. I do not blame him, but he has always pursued me since then. Twice he has made me miss the French Academy; he says all the bad things he can about me. I let him torment himself, and intrigue and I try to live in peace and as a philosopher"...