[Handwritten letter from Russian astronomer Vincent Wiśniewski]

An excellent example of Napoleonic-era international cooperation in the scientific community.

This handwritten letter, dated January 27, 1808, was written in St. Petersburg by Polish/Russian astronomer and geographer Vincent Wiśniewski. Wiśniewski (1781-1855) writes (in French) to Monsieur Vidal, astronomer at the Observatory at Toulouse, France, requesting assistance in determining astronomically settled points of places in European Russia. The author describes the course of his work for the Imperial Academy of Science in St. Petersburg over the course of two years. Unfavorable weather conditions prevented the collection of certain data, and he asks Vidal for help with the missing information.