André-Marie Ampère

1775 (Lyon, France) – 1836 (Marseille)

Stendhal, Jussieu and Ampère were all regulars at Cuvier’s salon. Fresnel was a close friend and collaborator, and lived in Ampère’s house for 5 years. Other close friends included the critic Sainte-Beuve, and Arago, who in his absence authorised Ampère to continue an experiment with immediate success; Arago was as a result compelled to accept Ampère’s theory of electromagnetic induction. Davy and Faraday (a respected opponent) visited together, while Humboldt, Mérimée, Babbage, the de la Rives, Jussieu, Pictet, Quetelet and Young were among his other correspondents. He taught Cauchy, who later collaborated with him, and Carnot.