RePoSS #11: The Mathematics of Niels Henrik Abel: Continuation ...

30 Chapter 2. Biography of NIELS HENRIK ABEL
through translations. Soon, however, the attention devoted to applied mathematics
declined and the Journal für die reine und angewandte Mathematik became the mouth-
piece for a limited group of pure mathematicians. The change in CRELLE’S conception
of his Journal für die reine und angewandte Mathematik is evident by comparing the in-
troductions with which he prefaced the two first volumes. In the very first volume,
CRELLE described the domain of the journal to include both pure mathematics (analy-
sis, geometry, mechanics), and applied mathematics including optics, theories of heat,
sound, and probability, and geography and geodesy. 39 This changed quickly, though,
and in the introduction to the second volume, CRELLE stood down — both on nation-
alistic and disciplinary ambitions.
For the first volume, CRELLE took it upon himself to translate the French manu-
scripts of ABEL and others into German before publication. 40 Despite having been
taught German for four years at the Cathedral School (written German for two years), 41
ABEL’S marks in written German were quite inconsistent: 1 and 4 on a scale from 1
to 5 (1 best); for the Artium, he scored a 3. 42 ABEL was reluctant to write in that language.
When he eventually prepared a paper in German, ABEL was very proud. 43
However, CRELLE soon succumbed to the pressure of internationalizing his journal
and accepted publishing papers in foreign languages. In response, after just a single
paper prepared in German, ABEL returned to writing exclusively in French.
CRELLE’S library. In Christiania, ABEL had access to a large section of French lit-
erature on pure mathematics written by the masters and some of the servants of the
subject in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century. However, circulation of re-
sults to the geographical periphery was far from instant, and many of the products
of the French reorganization of mathematics had not yet been brought to Norway.
Therefore, it was an explicit motivation for ABEL’S European tour to go to the largest
libraries and bookstores on the Continent which he expected to find together with the
rest of the mathematical milieu in Göttingen and Paris. However, one of his most in-
fluential encounters with the libraries of the Continent took place in Berlin, probably
in the private library of Geheimrath CRELLE.
“The afore-mentioned Crelle also has a perfectly splendid mathematical library
which I use as if it had been my own and from which I benefit particularly
as it contains all the latest material which he gets as soon as possible.” 44
39 (A. L. Crelle, 1826).
40 (W. Eccarius, 1976, 236). CRELLE also occasionally edited the manuscripts.
41 (Stubhaug, 1996, 520).
42 (N. H. Abel, 1902d, 3).
43 (Abel→Holmboe, Wien, 1826/04/16. N. H. Abel, 1902a, 27).
44 “Den samme Crelle har ogsaa et aldeles fortræffeligt mathematisk Bibliothek, som jeg benytter som
mit eget og som jeg har særdeles Nytte af da det indeholder alt det nyeste, som han faaer saa snart
det er mueligt.” (Abel→Hansteen, Berlin, 1825/12/05. ibid., 11).