Three Remarkable Women.

Evening Star, Issue 8530, 1 June 1891, Page 3

Three Remarkable Women.

Where women find themselves possessed of exceptional ability in any one line of science, motherhood need not neoessarily deprive them of continuing their interest or progress in that line. Laura Bassi, for thirty years occupying the chair of professor of physics at Bologna University, was only twenty-one yearß of age when she was called to it, and she married and became the mother of twelve children, without interruption of her university duties. Her home, where she carried on many scientific experiments, was beautiful in its orderliness, and was the resort of the lovers of learning. Mrs Somerville was the mother of five children by her two marriages, yet found time for study and writing her famous works on astronomy. Harriet Mattineau writes of her home life: "It was delightful to see her, always well dressed and thoroughly womanly in her conversation and manners, while unconscious of any peculiarity in her pursuits. It was delightful to go to tea at her house in Chelsea, and find everything in order and beauty—the walls hung with fine drawings, her music in the corner, and her tea table spread with good things." Erminie Smith, the eminent American ethnologist and mineralogist, used often to set out on her scientific expeditions accompanied by her four boys.