WOMEN IN MATHEMATICS 147 



sity of Cambridge, and published in 1801, fifty-two years 

 after it had appeared in Italian. His impression of the 

 methods followed by the Milanese savante was so favorable 

 that, in the words of a contemporary writer, it "gave rise 

 to his very spirited resolution of learning a new language 

 at an advanced period of life, that he might make himself 

 perfect master of them." 1 



Gratifying, however, as were the tributes of admiration 

 and appreciation which came to Agnesi from all quarters, 

 from learned societies, from eminent mathematicians, from 

 sovereigns the Empress Maria Theresa sent her a splen- 

 did diamond ring and a precious crystal casket be jeweled 

 with diamonds that which touched her most deeply was, 

 undoubtedly, the recognition which she received from the 

 great Maecenas of his age, Pope Benedict XIV. As Car- 

 dinal Lambertini and Archbishop of Bologna, he had taken 

 a conspicuous part in the honors showered on Laura Bassi 



iAt the conclusion of an elaborate review of Colton's transla- 

 tion of Agnesi 's Instituzioni Analitiche in the Edinburgh Review for 

 January, 1804, the writer expresses himself as follows: "We can- 

 not take leave of a work that does so much honor to female genius, 

 without earnestly recommending the perusal of it to those who believe 

 that great talents are bestowed by nature exclusively on man, and 

 who allege that women, even in their highest attainments, are to be 

 compared only to grown children, and have, in no instance, given 

 proofs of original and inventive powers, of a capacity for patient 

 research, or for profound investigation. Let those who hold these 

 opinions endeavor to follow the author of the Analytical Institutions 

 through the long series of demonstrations, which she has contrived 

 with so much skill and explained with such elegance and perspicuity. 

 If they are able to do so, and to compare her work with others of 

 the same kind, they will probably retract their former opinions, and 

 acknowledge that, in one instance at least, intellectual powers of the 

 highest order have been lodged in the brain of a woman. 



"At si gelidus obstiterit circum praecordia sanguis; and if they 

 are unable to attend this illustrious female in her scientific excur- 

 sions, of course, they will not see the reasons for admiring her genius 

 that others do; but they may at least learn to think modestly of 

 their own." 



