298 iWOMAN IN SCIENCE 



as a teaching and intellectual center that it was, as Sarti 

 informs us, known throughout Europe as Civitas Docta 

 the learned city and Mater Studiorum the mother of 

 studies. On its coins were stamped the words Bononia 

 Docet Bologna teaches and on the city seal, which is still 

 used for certain puhlic documents, were the words Legum 

 Bononia Mater Bologna, the Mother of Laws. 



Here, more than in Salerno, more than in any other city 

 in the world, was, for long centuries, witnessed a blooming 

 of female genius that has, since the time of Gratian and 

 Irnerius, given the University of Bologna preeminence in 

 the estimation of all friends of woman's education and 

 woman's culture. For here, within the walls of what was 

 for centuries the most celebrated university in Christen- 

 dom, women had, for the first time, an opportunity of 

 devoting themselves at will to the study of any and all 

 branches of knowledge. And it can be truthfully affirmed 

 that no seat of learning can point to such a long list of 

 eminent scholars and teachers among the gentler sex as is 

 to be found on the register of Bologna 's famous university. 

 For here, to name only a few, achieved distinction, either 

 as students or as professors, such noted women as Bitisia 

 Gozzadina, Bettina and Novella Calendrini, Dorotea Boc- 

 chi, Giovanna and Maddalena Bianchetti, Virginia Mal- 

 vezzi, Maria Vittoria Dosi, Elisabetta Sirani, Ippolita 

 Grassi, Properzia de Rossi, Maria Mastellagri, Laura Bassi, 

 Maddelena Noe-Candedi, Clotilda Tambroni and Anna 

 Manzolini. In this honor list we have a group of savantes 



in the sciences; Salerno, in medicine; Bologna, in law; Orleans, 

 in actors. Op. 17. De Virtutibus et Vitiis, Cap. ult. 



The mediaeval poet, Galfrido, expressed the same idea in verse 

 when he wrote: 



"In morbis sanat medici virtute Salernum 

 JEgros: in causis Bononia legibus armat 

 Nudos: Parisius dispensat in artibus illos 

 Panes, unde cibat robustos: Aurelianis 

 Educat in cunis actorum lacte tenellos. " 





