Correspondents, Interlocutors, Mentors and Dramatis Personae
Michele Casati (1699-1782)
Member of the order of the Theatines and Professor of moral philosophy at the University of Turin
Tutor and correspondent
Everything went according to His Highness’ wishes. The evening after our arrival, the prince came to our house; he heard from me to his great enjoyment, a dispute that I made with Father Branconi about the cause of the motion of the planets, and another with Father Stampa, about the nature of colours. Then he heard Teresa singing and playing the harpsichord; and then both of us together also played for him a melody on that sweet musical instrument, which borrows its name from love, so that he could sleep well at night having filled his eyes with pleasurable visions [Agnesi to Casati, 9 December 1739]
Member of the order of the Theatines and Professor of moral philosophy at the University of Turin
Tutor and correspondent
Everything went according to His Highness’ wishes. The evening after our arrival, the prince came to our house; he heard from me to his great enjoyment, a dispute that I made with Father Branconi about the cause of the motion of the planets, and another with Father Stampa, about the nature of colours. Then he heard Teresa singing and playing the harpsichord; and then both of us together also played for him a melody on that sweet musical instrument, which borrows its name from love, so that he could sleep well at night having filled his eyes with pleasurable visions [Agnesi to Casati, 9 December 1739]
Ramiro Rampinelli (1697-1759)
Member of the Olivetan Order and an outstanding teacher of mathematics, most famed as the teacher of Maria Gaetana Agnesi.
Shortly after I arrived in Milan I had the pleasure of meeting the Maiden Countess Donna Maria Agnesi who was well versed in the Latin and Greek languages, and even Hebrew, as well as other more familiar tongues; moreover, she was well educated in the most important Metaphysics, the Physics of the day and Geometry, and she knew enough of Mechanics for the purposes of Physics; she had a little knowledge of Cartesian algebra, but all self-acquired as there was no one here who could enlighten her. Therefore she asked would I not assist her in that study, to which I agreed, and in a short time she had, with extraordinary strength and depth of talent, wonderfully mastered Cartesian algebra and the two infinitesimal Calculi,2to which she added the application of these to the most lofty physical matters. I assure you that I have always been and still am amazed by seeing such talent and such depth of knowledge in a woman as would be remarkable in a man, and in particular by seeing this accompanied by quite remarkable Christian virtue.[Rampinelli to Giordano Ricatti, 9 June 1745]
Member of the Olivetan Order and an outstanding teacher of mathematics, most famed as the teacher of Maria Gaetana Agnesi.
Shortly after I arrived in Milan I had the pleasure of meeting the Maiden Countess Donna Maria Agnesi who was well versed in the Latin and Greek languages, and even Hebrew, as well as other more familiar tongues; moreover, she was well educated in the most important Metaphysics, the Physics of the day and Geometry, and she knew enough of Mechanics for the purposes of Physics; she had a little knowledge of Cartesian algebra, but all self-acquired as there was no one here who could enlighten her. Therefore she asked would I not assist her in that study, to which I agreed, and in a short time she had, with extraordinary strength and depth of talent, wonderfully mastered Cartesian algebra and the two infinitesimal Calculi,2to which she added the application of these to the most lofty physical matters. I assure you that I have always been and still am amazed by seeing such talent and such depth of knowledge in a woman as would be remarkable in a man, and in particular by seeing this accompanied by quite remarkable Christian virtue.[Rampinelli to Giordano Ricatti, 9 June 1745]
Jacopo Riccati (1676-1754)
Italian mathematician who wrote on philosophy, physics and differential equations. He is chiefly known for the Riccati differential equation.
correspondent, reviewer
Among the enormous feelings of obligation I hold towards my esteemed teacher Father Don Ramiro Rampinelli, I count also the honor your Lordship has granted me by deigning to cast your expert eye, and that of your worthy son Count Giordano, over the little that my meager talents have allowed me to pro-duce under the title of Instituzioni analitiche following the guidance and direction of a man with such great mathematical faculties, with the aim of as far as possible making the study of such a difficult and laborious study in itself easier for the young, by stripping it down to the order and clarity it is capable of, which task, as far as I am aware, none have yet so much as attempted.
[Agnesi to Ricatti, 20 July 1745]
Italian mathematician who wrote on philosophy, physics and differential equations. He is chiefly known for the Riccati differential equation.
correspondent, reviewer
Among the enormous feelings of obligation I hold towards my esteemed teacher Father Don Ramiro Rampinelli, I count also the honor your Lordship has granted me by deigning to cast your expert eye, and that of your worthy son Count Giordano, over the little that my meager talents have allowed me to pro-duce under the title of Instituzioni analitiche following the guidance and direction of a man with such great mathematical faculties, with the aim of as far as possible making the study of such a difficult and laborious study in itself easier for the young, by stripping it down to the order and clarity it is capable of, which task, as far as I am aware, none have yet so much as attempted.
[Agnesi to Ricatti, 20 July 1745]
Laura Maria Catarina Bassi (1711-1788)
Italian physicist and one of the earliest women to gain a professorship in an Italian university.
Correspondent
a book that honours our sex in a special mannerLaura Bassi to Agnesi
Italian physicist and one of the earliest women to gain a professorship in an Italian university.
Correspondent
a book that honours our sex in a special mannerLaura Bassi to Agnesi