WOMEN IN PHYSICS 



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and in delicately chosen words, also in Latin, expressed to 

 them, her thanks for the honor of their presence. All then 

 withdrew to the apartments of the gonfalonier, where re- 

 freshments were served in sumptuous style, after which the 

 young Laureata, accompanied by a numerous cortege and 

 applauded by the entire city, was escorted to her home. 



So profound was the impression made on the university 

 senate by the deep erudition of Laura Bassi that it was 

 eager to secure her services in its teaching body. But, 

 before she could be offered a chair in the institution, long- 

 established custom required that she should pass a public 

 examination on the subject matter which she was to teach. 

 Five examiners were chosen by lot, and all of them proved 

 to be men whose names, says Fantuzzi, "will always be 

 held by our university in glorious remembrance. " They 

 had all to promise under oath that the candidate for the 

 chair should have no knowledge before the examination 

 of the questions which were to be asked, and that the test 

 of the aspirant's qualifications to fill the position sought 

 should be absolutely free from any suspicion of favoritism 

 or partiality. 



Notwithstanding the difficulties she had to confront, 

 Laura acquitted herself with even greater credit than on 

 former occasions of a similar character. There was no 

 question in the mind of any one present at the examination 

 of the candidate's ability to fill the chair of physics, and 

 it was, accordingly, offered to her by acclamation. 



The first public lecture of the gifted young dottoressa 

 was made the occasion of a demonstration such as the old 

 walls of the university had rarely witnessed. Her lecture 

 room was thronged by the elite of the city, as well as by a 

 large class of enthusiastic students. All were charmed by 

 her eloquence and amazed at the complete mastery she 

 evinced of the subject she had selected for discussion. From 

 that day forth her reputation as a scholar and a teacher 

 was established, and her lectures were attended by appre- 



