TEILHARD DE CHARDIN PIERRE: (1881-1955) French Jesuit priest, scientist, palaeontologist, theologian and philosopher who took part in the discovery of Peking Man. A.L.S., Teilhard de Ch, one page, 4to, Peking, 8^th December 1942, to an unidentified correspondent ('Cher Monsieur, et ami'), on the printed stationery of the Institut de Geo-Biologie, in French. Teilhard de Chardin thanks his correspondent for the copies of one of his lectures and 'surtout pour la sympathie que vous avez marquee et officieusement temoignee, pour un effort et une cause qui me sont, en un sens, plus cheres que la vie' (Translation: 'above all for the sympathy you have shown and unofficially testified, for an effort and a cause which are, in a sense, dearer to me than life') further writing of a lecture, 'J'ai mis plus de moi-meme dans ce que j'ai dit que la plupart des auditeurs n'ont pu (et ne pouvaient) le soupconner. Il s'agissait moins d'un expose que d'une profession de foi. Merci de l'avoir senti, et de m'avoir fait comprendre que vous l'aviez senti' (Translation: 'I put more of myself into what I said than most listeners could (and could not) suspect. It was less a presentation than a profession of faith. Thank you for feeling it, and letting me know you felt it' ). Scarce. VG