Victor HUGO. L.A.S., [Guernsey] Hauteville house March 9, 1869, to Gaston Tissandier; 1page in-4 on blue paper, address with stamp and postmarks. Beautiful letter on aerostation and progress. [It was collected, with some variants, in Actes et Paroles, II, Pendant l'exil, Notes, 1869. Here, Hugo replies to a letter from balloonist Gaston Tissandier (1843-1899) dated February 27, 1869]. "I believe, Sir, in all progress. Air navigation is consecutive to ocean navigation; from water man must pass to air. Wherever creation is breathable to him, man will penetrate creation. Our only limit is life. Wherever the column of air whose pressure keeps our machine from bursting ceases, man must stop. But he can, must and will go that far, and he will. You prove it. I take the greatest interest in your useful and valiant perpendicular journeys. Your ingenious and bold companion, Mr. W. de Fonvielle, has, like Mr. Victor Meunier, the superior instinct of true Science. I, too, would have a superb taste for scientific adventure. Adventure in fact, hypothesis in idea - these are the two great processes of discovery. Of course, the future lies in aerial navigation, and the duty of the present is to work for the future. You are fulfilling this duty. I, solitary but attentive, follow you with my eyes and shout: Courage!" Gaston Tissandier's letter to Victor Hugo is enclosed: L.A.S., Paris February 27, 1869 (3p. in-4 headed Union Nationale du Commerce & de l'Industrie. Laboratoire de Chimie, address with stamps and postmarks, split repaired with scotch tape). He recalls his "aerostatic ascents" with Wilfrid de Fonvielle "with the aim of studying the atmosphere and advancing the poor and important science of Meteorology". He complains of finding no official or scientific support, but encounters "moral support from those who truly love progress and science". He announces various publications and conferences. To answer the mockery of the envious, he asks Hugo, whom he admires, for "a few lines on the opinion you may have of the study of the atmosphere using our aerostats"...