Learning by Letters: The Mathematical Education of Mary Somerville (1780-1872)

Abstract: Somerville’s autobiography, published posthumously in 1873, tells us much about her lifetime at the centre of a scientific network that encompassed mathematicians, physicists, mineralogists and more. However, her account gives very few details on how an 18th-century woman from a small Scottish village was able to become an accomplished mathematician, recognised throughout Europe and North America for her expertise in analytical mathematics. This is especially pertinent as Somerville lived at a time when advanced mathematical texts were often expensive, or rare, and when women were usually unable to access the universities, libraries, or learned societies where such texts could be found. Building on letter correspondence and draft solutions to puzzles published in periodicals, this talk will shine a light on Somerville's earliest studies, offering a new perspective on how mathematical knowledge spreads via social connections.