Correspondents, Interlocutors, Mantors and Dramatis Personae
Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855)
Gauss was a good friend of Sophie Germain, even if they never met. He was a gifted mathematician and physical scientist who contributed significantly to many fields, including number theory, statistics, analysis, differential geometry, geodesy,geophysics, electrostatics, astronomy, and optics
Your letter of 20 February, which did not reach me until the 12th of March, was for me the source of as much pleasure as surprise. Howsweet is the acquisition of such a flattering and precious friendship to my heart! The lively interest you have taken in my fate during thisdeadly war deserves the most sincere gratitude.
(Gauss to Germain, 30 April, 1807)
Joseph-Louis Lagrange (1736–1813)
He was an Italian mathematician, physicist and astronomer, later naturalized French. He made significant contributions to the fields of analysis, number theory, and both classical and celestial mechanics.
Lagrange was not Germain's teacher, nor did he work with her directly. It is true that she studied Lagrange’s lecture notes and learned mathematics from his memoirs and other books at her disposal. But she did not have the benefit of Lagrange’s direct instruction.
He was an Italian mathematician, physicist and astronomer, later naturalized French. He made significant contributions to the fields of analysis, number theory, and both classical and celestial mechanics.
Lagrange was not Germain's teacher, nor did he work with her directly. It is true that she studied Lagrange’s lecture notes and learned mathematics from his memoirs and other books at her disposal. But she did not have the benefit of Lagrange’s direct instruction.
Adrien-Marie Legendre (1752–1833)
He was the true mentor of Sophie Germain, her teacher of mathematics and perhaps the truest of her friends. Legendre respected Germain’s intellect enough to give her the opportunity to contribute to his most important book on number theory, Essai sur la théorie des nombres. He also helped her plow through Euler’s manuscripts as she developed her theory of elasticity.
I imagine that the same questionwill be posed with a new deadline; Thus all hope is not lost. On the contrary, it should be stronger than ever to hope to win the award.
Legendre to Germain, 4 December 1811
Guglielmo Libri1803-1869
Italian mathematician and historian of mathematics
friend, correspondent and first biographer
Finally yesterday night I metMademoiselle Germain who won the mathematical prize at the Institute some yearsago. I talked with her for about two hours, she has an impressive personality.
(Libri to his mother, letter dated 14 May 1825)
Italian mathematician and historian of mathematics
friend, correspondent and first biographer
Finally yesterday night I metMademoiselle Germain who won the mathematical prize at the Institute some yearsago. I talked with her for about two hours, she has an impressive personality.
(Libri to his mother, letter dated 14 May 1825)