WOMEN IN ASTRONOMY 179 



devoted much time to calculating eclipses with a view to 

 accurately determining the motion of the moon, and was, 

 besides, the author of numerous astronomical tables which 

 exhibit patient research and unquestioned skill. 



The Duchesse Louise had a great reputation as a rapid 

 and accurate computer, and was celebrated for the number 

 and variety of her computations. Her modesty, however, 

 prevented her from publishing anything or even having 

 her work quoted. 



Considering, however, the amount and character of her 

 work, the most eminent woman astronomer that France has 

 yet produced was, without doubt, Mme. Hortense Lepaute, 

 the wife of the royal clockmaker of France. She first dis- 

 tinguished herself by her investigations on the oscillations 

 of pendulums of different lengths, an account of which is 

 to be found in her husband's valuable work, Traite d'Hor- 

 logerie, published in 1755. 



In 1759 Lalande, who was then the Director of the Paris 

 Observatory, engaged Mme. Lepaute and the celebrated 

 mathematician, Clairaut, to determine the amount of the 

 attraction of Jupiter and Saturn on Halley's comet, whose 

 return was expected in that year. So difficult was this 

 problem, and so numerous were the complications involved, 



first part of Voltaire's Epistle on Calumny, which was written about 

 the beginning of his particular relationship with ' ' the divine Emilie. ' ; 

 The first lines of this epistle, as translated by Smollett, are : 

 " Since beautiful, 'twill be your fate, 



Emelia, to incur much hate; 



Almost one-half of human race 



Will even curse you to your face; 



Possesst of genius, noblest fire, 



With fear you will each breast inspire; 



As you too easily confide, 



You'll often be betrayed, belied; 



You ne'er of virtue made parade, 



To hypocrites no court you 've paid, 



Therefore, of Calumny beware, 



Foe to the virtuous and the fair." 



