Personal Recollections from Early Life to Old Age of Mary Somerville eBook Mary Somerville
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Personal Recollections from Early Life to Old Age of Mary Somerville eBook Mary Somerville
What a wonderful memoir to read. Mary Somerville’s name comes up in the history of science texts but actually reading her own recollections makes me wish first off that I had a time machine. Secondly I would want to be viewed as worthy of joining one of her salons or spend a weekend at her residence to discuss the scientific discovery of the day over tea and scones.She was a rare woman in rare times. The Europe of the early 19th century was exploding with scientific discovery and on the surface it was done by (mostly) wealthy men who as hobbyists, brought much to the world of science. Somerville was in their midst and given accolades from many of the greatest European minds of the time. But she was a woman and in her memoir one of her complaints was that the status of being female limited the prospects of a young girl who had the curiosity and intellect to pursue the sciences. For many reasons she stood above most of the rest but not all.
Mary Anning was an amateur paleontologist during the 19th Century who discovered the fossils of many pre-historic species and provided her discoveries to men of note and with very little acclaim. She occasionally was cited in papers or in salons but was largely dismissed as a scientist.
Mary Treat the botanist, traded correspondence with Charles Darwin and even convinced him with evidence provided in a letter, that he was incorrect about a detail about carnivorous plants. He agreed and altered his own understanding to accept new evidence. A generation after Somerville came Hertha Ayrton who was able to present papers to the Royal Society and it would be hard not to think that Somerville did not help part the waters for those events. Later came the double Nobelist Marie Curie and Lise Meitner. Today there are still reports of a dearth of female scientists but the tide is changing quickly with the likes of Lisa Randall and Carolyn Porco who are two of the faces of the many women in science. It would be wonderful if young women could read the Recollections and be inspired to throw their hat in the ring.
Somerville lamented the conditions for women in the sciences during her time and she also decried other social ills like slavery, the treatment of animals and political tyranny. While she was a Christian (likely a Deist) she viewed religion as a personal matter and discussed it little. She did suggest in the book that some religious leaders such as the pope as being viewed as divine and was averse to such notions.
The company of historical names that she knew well is a Who’s Who of 19th Century scientific minds.
Since doing a paper on the polymath Alexander von Humboldt recently, as I read her story it seems sane to say that she was much like him. She was significantly ahead of her time and most importantly, female. Throughout her Recollections she complained of the lack of educational opportunities for women and their inability to join societies of philosophy and sciences. She was deterred from pursuing academic interests by society, her family and first husband. So she did them on the sly. Throughout her 92 years she corresponded with many of the premier European scholars. She wrote several books and had them read in pre-publication by many of those same people. Much of her correspondence was resource material for this book and letters from notables indicate that her writings were very well respected and used. She did ultimately get many awards and tempered memberships in many societies.
Most important to her assortment of friends was the many salons that she and her second husband who she always referred to merely as Somerville, held in England and later in Italy where she lived for many years. She died in Italy. Somerville was very supportive of his wife’s mind and her scientific efforts.
The list of people who attended her themed salons were many but include three who were very influential and described in Laura Snyder’s wonderful book, Philosophical Breakfast Club. They were Sir John Herschel, William Whewell and Charles Babbage. They also were close personal friends for much of her adult life.
Other attendees at her social settings included Humphrey Davy, Michael Faraday and Charles Lyall. She had correspondence with Alexander von Humboldt and Charles Darwin and was very much a proponent of evolutions upon completing The Origin of the Species. She was given one of the early copies from another friend, the erstwhile publisher of many famous books, James Murray.
Mary Somerville had many ideas and intentions in her long life. She advocated for women’s rights especially as they pertained to education. She was very much anti-slavery like so many of her counterparts. In her youth she took up painting and sketching and her correspondence suggests she was good at both though no samples were provided in the memoir.
She had a deist view of spiritual belief. She did not describe going to church and indicated that she talked rarely of her personal beliefs. She did write sharply about overly zealous religionists who deemed themselves as divine including one of the Popes that she met in her many years living in Italy. While she was only minimally impressed during her meeting she was more concerned with the notion of “the infallibility of the Pope” and how it affected his minions and their decision making.
She likewise was intent on making science available to the untutored as her friend Michael Faraday did with his Christmas evening presentations. Somerville’s books were written so as to be understood by those with little science background.
As she came into her final years she complained of deafness and short term memory problems but was able to retain her analytical mind continuing to read scientific papers nearly to the end. This memoir unveiled much about a remarkable woman during remarkable times. I am glad it is available for readers in order to inform them much of science history as seen through the eyes of a female icon.
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Personal Recollections from Early Life to Old Age of Mary Somerville eBook Mary Somerville Reviews
In 1835, Mary Somerville, a Scottish mathematician, astronomer, and science writer, became the first woman, along with Caroline Herschel, to gain membership to the Royal Astronomical Society. In 1838 she and her husband went to Italy, where she spent much of the rest of her life. In 1868, four years before her death at age 91, she signed John Stuart Mill's unsuccessful petition for female suffrage. These recollections are a fascinating glimpse into her life and work. Essentially written by her son, the book includes lengthy passages of Mary's own letters and recollections. I wouldn't recommend it as much for the science -- which is addressed rather briefly -- as I would for the insight it provides into the life of a socially well-connected, highly intelligent and inquisitive scientific mind during a period when many new discoveries (some by her) were being made in the field of astronomy. Mary knew everybody, socialized widely, and delighted in making new discoveries in her field. Somewhat repetitive, but essentially fascinating.
What a wonderful memoir to read. Mary Somerville’s name comes up in the history of science texts but actually reading her own recollections makes me wish first off that I had a time machine. Secondly I would want to be viewed as worthy of joining one of her salons or spend a weekend at her residence to discuss the scientific discovery of the day over tea and scones.
She was a rare woman in rare times. The Europe of the early 19th century was exploding with scientific discovery and on the surface it was done by (mostly) wealthy men who as hobbyists, brought much to the world of science. Somerville was in their midst and given accolades from many of the greatest European minds of the time. But she was a woman and in her memoir one of her complaints was that the status of being female limited the prospects of a young girl who had the curiosity and intellect to pursue the sciences. For many reasons she stood above most of the rest but not all.
Mary Anning was an amateur paleontologist during the 19th Century who discovered the fossils of many pre-historic species and provided her discoveries to men of note and with very little acclaim. She occasionally was cited in papers or in salons but was largely dismissed as a scientist.
Mary Treat the botanist, traded correspondence with Charles Darwin and even convinced him with evidence provided in a letter, that he was incorrect about a detail about carnivorous plants. He agreed and altered his own understanding to accept new evidence. A generation after Somerville came Hertha Ayrton who was able to present papers to the Royal Society and it would be hard not to think that Somerville did not help part the waters for those events. Later came the double Nobelist Marie Curie and Lise Meitner. Today there are still reports of a dearth of female scientists but the tide is changing quickly with the likes of Lisa Randall and Carolyn Porco who are two of the faces of the many women in science. It would be wonderful if young women could read the Recollections and be inspired to throw their hat in the ring.
Somerville lamented the conditions for women in the sciences during her time and she also decried other social ills like slavery, the treatment of animals and political tyranny. While she was a Christian (likely a Deist) she viewed religion as a personal matter and discussed it little. She did suggest in the book that some religious leaders such as the pope as being viewed as divine and was averse to such notions.
The company of historical names that she knew well is a Who’s Who of 19th Century scientific minds.
Since doing a paper on the polymath Alexander von Humboldt recently, as I read her story it seems sane to say that she was much like him. She was significantly ahead of her time and most importantly, female. Throughout her Recollections she complained of the lack of educational opportunities for women and their inability to join societies of philosophy and sciences. She was deterred from pursuing academic interests by society, her family and first husband. So she did them on the sly. Throughout her 92 years she corresponded with many of the premier European scholars. She wrote several books and had them read in pre-publication by many of those same people. Much of her correspondence was resource material for this book and letters from notables indicate that her writings were very well respected and used. She did ultimately get many awards and tempered memberships in many societies.
Most important to her assortment of friends was the many salons that she and her second husband who she always referred to merely as Somerville, held in England and later in Italy where she lived for many years. She died in Italy. Somerville was very supportive of his wife’s mind and her scientific efforts.
The list of people who attended her themed salons were many but include three who were very influential and described in Laura Snyder’s wonderful book, Philosophical Breakfast Club. They were Sir John Herschel, William Whewell and Charles Babbage. They also were close personal friends for much of her adult life.
Other attendees at her social settings included Humphrey Davy, Michael Faraday and Charles Lyall. She had correspondence with Alexander von Humboldt and Charles Darwin and was very much a proponent of evolutions upon completing The Origin of the Species. She was given one of the early copies from another friend, the erstwhile publisher of many famous books, James Murray.
Mary Somerville had many ideas and intentions in her long life. She advocated for women’s rights especially as they pertained to education. She was very much anti-slavery like so many of her counterparts. In her youth she took up painting and sketching and her correspondence suggests she was good at both though no samples were provided in the memoir.
She had a deist view of spiritual belief. She did not describe going to church and indicated that she talked rarely of her personal beliefs. She did write sharply about overly zealous religionists who deemed themselves as divine including one of the Popes that she met in her many years living in Italy. While she was only minimally impressed during her meeting she was more concerned with the notion of “the infallibility of the Pope” and how it affected his minions and their decision making.
She likewise was intent on making science available to the untutored as her friend Michael Faraday did with his Christmas evening presentations. Somerville’s books were written so as to be understood by those with little science background.
As she came into her final years she complained of deafness and short term memory problems but was able to retain her analytical mind continuing to read scientific papers nearly to the end. This memoir unveiled much about a remarkable woman during remarkable times. I am glad it is available for readers in order to inform them much of science history as seen through the eyes of a female icon.
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