366 WOMAN IN SCIENCE 



She always insists upon his keeping her fully informed 

 about his studies and discoveries. She is particular, also, 

 about receiving without delay copies of his latest publica- 

 tions. "I beg you/ 7 she writes in one of her letters, "to 

 be so kind as to send me that book of yours which has 

 just been published, II Saggiatore, so that I may read it; 

 for I have a great desire to see it." 



On another occasion, after his difficulties with the Holy 

 Office, when she fancies her father is not keeping her fully 

 informed about the subject matter of his writings, she 

 implores him to tell her on what topic he is engaged, ' ' if / ' 

 she archly adds, "it be something I can understand and 

 you are not afraid that I will blab. ' ' 



And on still another occasion Sister Celeste reminds her 

 father of a promise of his to send her a small telescope. 

 From this we should infer that she desired to repeat the 

 observations on the heavenly bodies that had created such 

 a sensation in the learned world, and which had given 

 occasion for such acrimonious controversy. 



In one of her earlier letters Sister Celeste calls her 

 father's attention to a promise of his to spend an after- 

 noon with her and her sister Arcangela, also a nun in the 

 same convent. And, referring to one of the regulations 

 of the Franciscan cloister, she playfully observes: "You 

 will be able to sup in the parlor, since the excommunication 

 is for the table cloth" Sister Celeste! "and not for 

 the meats thereon." 



What would one not give for a stenographic report of 

 the conversations held that afternoon in the convent garden 

 of Arcetri, as father and daughters leisurely strolled 

 through the peaceful enclosure, all quite oblivious of the 

 fleeting hours? How interesting would be a faithful rec- 

 ord of the confidences exchanged at the frugal meal in 

 the evening in the humble parlor of S. Matteo ! "We would 

 willingly exchange many of the famous Dialoghi di Galileo 



