A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Chatelet, (Gabrielle-Emilie de Breteuil, Marchioness du)
CHATELET, (GABRIELLE-EMILIE de Breteuil, Marchioness du); born 1706, died 1749, aged 43.
From her early youth read the best authors, without the medium of a translation; Tasso, Milton, and Virgil were alike familiar to her; and her ear was particularly sensible to the melody of verse. She was endowed with great eloquence, but not of that sort which consists only in displaying wit or acquirements; precision was the character of hers. She would rather have written with the solidity of Pascal than with the charms of Sévigné. She loved abstract sciences, studied mathematics deeply, and published an explanation of the philosophy of Leibnitz, under the title of Institutions de Physique, in 8 vo. addressed to her son. The preliminary discourse to which is said to be a model of reason and eloquence. Afterwards she published a treatise on The Nature of Fire. To know common geometry did not satisfy her. She was so well skilled in the philsosophy of Newton, that she translated his works, and enriched them by a commentary, in 4 vols. 4 to. its title is Principes Mathematiques de la Philosophe Naturelle. This work, which cost her infinite labour, is supposed to have hastened her death.
She was beautiful, and, according to her friend Voltaire, more solicitous to conceal her knowledge than display it. The king of Prussia, who had long desired to see the philosopher of Ferney, on her death, refused to hear any more excuses. "I have yielded to madame Chatelet, on the score of a twenty year's friendship," said he; "but I also have known you a long time."
In a dedication to her, Voltaire says; "one reason why we should esteem women of letters is, because they study from taste and inclination only; while, with us, it must be acknowledged, it is often from vanity or interest.—It is true, that a woman who should neglect the duties of her family and station, to cultivate the sciences, would be blameable, let her progress be what it would: but the same spirit which leads to the knowledge of truth, will instruct us in the performance of duty."