28 JANUARY 1966, Page 15

SIR,—One more female mathematician for Mr. A. D. Mac Dougall:

Signora Gaetano Agnesi, of Milan was offered the Chair of Mathematics by the University of Bologna somewhere in the 1740s, and wrote to ask the Pope, Benedict XIV, if he approved of her accepting it. He wrote back in his own hand: 'De tout mon coon.: and added that he was glad to see her sex `a poriee de faire briller la science et les talents.'

RENEE HAYNES

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