Record

Authorised form of nameFebure; Nicasius Le (c1610 - 1669); chemist
Other forms of nameNicaise Le
Fevre (Febvre), Nicasius Le
Fevre (Febvre), Nicolas Le
Other forms of surnameFevre (Febvre)
Datesc1610 - 1669
NationalityFrench
Place of birthSedan, France, Europe
Date of birthc 1610
Place of deathParish of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, England, Europe
Research fieldPharmacy
Chemistry
ActivityEducation:
Protestant academy at Sedan, France; Apprenticeship with father (-1625-1630), then with Abraham Duhan
Career:
Apothecary, Sedan (-1646); Lecturer in pharmaceutical chemistry; Demonstrator of Chemistry at the Jardin du Roi, Paris (1650); Professor of Chemistry to Charles II (1660); Apothecary in Ordinary to the Royal Family (1660); Manager of the laboratory at St James's Palace
Membership categoryOriginal Fellow
Date of election20/05/1663
ProposerSir Robert Moray
Royal Society activityCommittee and panels:
Chemical Committee (1664)
Other Royal Society activityInvolved in experiments to attempt to volatise tartar (1663); Experiments with powder of sponges to cure struma [goitre] (1663)
RelationshipsParents: Claude Le Febure [Févre] and Françoise de Beaufort
Married: Philibert Le Febure [Févre]
Published worksRCN: 48433
RCN: 49347
General contextLe Febure's main work of his career as a chemist and apothecary is his Traicté de la chymie (1660; English translation 1664). While much of its content can be traced to previous figures in the field, such as Paracelsus and van Helmont, the work's incorporation into Lemery's chemical textbook showcases Le Febure's influence in the field of chemistry. Overall, he split the discipline in a philosophical, a medical, and a pharmaceutical branch and his work was vital in communicating recent discoveries in the field to French and English audiences. His work at the French court also reached English scholars and royalists in exile during the Civil War, which is how John Evelyn (FRS 1660) attended his pharmaceutical lectures in 1647.
SourcesSources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB; ODNB
Authority:
OtherFormsOfName from Hunter, DNB and DSB
Notes:
Approximate year of birth from Hunter. The election date is Febure's re-election date into the Society after the grant of the second charter in April 1663. All Fellows admitted in a two-month window after this charter, until 22 June 1663, are considered Original Fellows. He was previously admitted into the Society on 4 December 1661.
Virtual International Authority Filehttp://viaf.org/viaf/100199084
Royal Society codeNA4274
Archives associated with this Fellow
Reference numberTitleDate
DM/5/72D'Desiderata from Monsieur Le Febure'c.1660s
DM/5/79'Desiderata from Monsieur Le Febure'c.1660s
NLB/62/832Copy letter from Francis Alexander Towle, Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society; to A. Rischgitz Esquire; the Studios, 42 Linden Gardens, W.2.16 May 1922
Add to My Items

    Collection highlights

    Browse the records of some of our collections, which cover all branches of science and date from the 12th century onwards. These include the published works of Fellows of the Royal Society, personal papers of eminent scientists, letters and manuscripts sent to the Society or presented at meetings, and administrative records documenting the Society's activities since our foundation in 1660.

    The Royal Society

    The Royal Society is a Fellowship of many of
    the world's most eminent scientists and is the
    oldest scientific academy in continuous existence.
    Registered charity number 207043

    Website design ©CalmView



    CONTACT US

    + 44 207 451 2500
    (Lines open Mon-Fri, 9:00-17:00. Excludes bank holidays)

    6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG

    Email Us →

    SUBSCRIBE

    Subscribe to our newsletters to be updated with the
    latest news on innovation, events, articles and reports.

    Subscribe →

    © CalmView