Bassi, Laura Maria Catherina

, the wife of Dr. Joseph Verati, a very ingenious lady, was born in 1712, | and died at Bologna, of which she was a native, in 1778. Such were her acknowledged talents and learning, that, in 1732, she was honoured with a Doctor’s degree, after, having disputed publicly in Latin, and her reputation became afterwards completely established by a course of lectures on experimental philosophy, which she delivered from 1745 to the time of her death. Madame tie Bocage, in her “Letters on Italy,” informs us that she attended one of those lectures, in which Madame Bassi developed the phenomena of irritability, with precision and depth. The greater part of the literati of Europe, to whom she was well known, bore testimony to her learning, particularly in the Greek, Latin, French, and Italian; nor was she less distinguished for her numerous exertions of charity to the poor and the orphan. We do not find that she published anything, but was the theme of much poetical praise.­A collection of these tributes of applause appeared in 1732, with her portrait, and an inscription, “L. M. C. Bassi, Phil. Doct. Coll. Academ. Institut. Scientiar. Societ. Ætat. Ann. xx.” and with the following allusion to Petrarch’s Laura:

"Laura, vale, ingenio quæ et carmine nota Petrarchæ.

Laura hæc eloquio, et mente Petrarcha sibi."

¹