166 WOMAN IN SCIENCE 



mathematics is a monstrosity. But during this short period 

 what a change has been effected in the attitude of the world 

 toward women who devote themselves to the study and the 

 teaching of science! "Women mathematicians are found 

 to-day in all civilized countries, and no sane person now 

 considers it any more " unwomanly ' ' or more "monstrous" 

 for them to study or teach mathematics than for them to 

 teach music or needlework. Yet more. They are now fre- 

 quent contributors to mathematical magazines and to the 

 official bulletins of learned societies, and not infrequently 

 they are on the editorial staffs of publications devoted ex- 

 clusively to mathematics. They are also found as comput- 

 ers in some of the largest astronomical observatories, where 

 the speed and accuracy of their work have evoked the most 

 favorable comment. 



Of women in America, who have distinguished them- 

 selves by their work in the higher mathematics, it suffices to 

 mention the name of Miss Charlotte Angas Scott, recently 

 deceased, who was for years professor of mathematics in 

 the College of Bryn Mawr. Her writings on various prob- 

 lems of the higher mathematics show that she faithfully 

 followed in the footsteps of her illustrious predecessors, 

 Hypatia, Agnesi, du Chatelet, Germain, Somerville and 

 Kovalevsky. 



eternal, immutable laws of science attract me. It is very possible 

 that I should have accomplished more in either of these lines, if I 

 had devoted myself exclusively to it; nevertheless, I cannot give 

 up either of them completely. ' ' 



From Ellen Key's Biography of the Duchess of Cajanello, quoted 

 in Anna Leffler's biography of Sonya Kovalevsky, ut sup, pp. 317-318. 



