the senate selected her to give public lectures on the subject in the university, as professor of this science. It is a great pity that the pedantic custom of using the Latin language for scientific and literary purposes still held sway at Bologna. Had Laura written in Italian, her writings would have been more extensively known, and would not be buried, as they now are, in classic dust. Her Latin style is peculiarly excellent.
She was modest and unaffected; her memory was very great, her understanding strong, and her conversation enlivened by sallies of wit. She died in 1778, of a disease of the lungs.
Her mortal remains were interred with solemn obsequies. She was buried with the doctors gown, and silver laurel. Her works remaining are:—An epic poem in manuscript; some poems published by Gobbi; "Le problemate quodam Mecanico," and published by the institute; "Some experiments and discoveries on the compression of air.
BATHSHEBA, or BATHCHUAH,
Daughter of Eliam Ammiel, was the wife of Uriah the Hittite. While her husband was absent at the siege of Kabbah, David, king of Israel, accidentally saw, and fell violently in love with her. In consequence of this, he contrived the death of her husband, and married her. Bathsheba's eldest child by David died, but she bore four others to him, of whom Solomon and Nathan are reckoned in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
Bathsheba is represented as very beautiful; and she must have been a woman of extraordinary powers of mind, as she exercised over her husband, king David, such paramount influence. Though he had, by his other wives, several sons older than Solomon, and Adonijah seems to have been his favourite, yet she induced him to promise that Solomon her son should succeed to the throne. The scene in David's death-chamber, when, at her appeal, the old king calls back, as it were, the full powers of his strong mind to give her again the solemn promise that her son shall reign, is sufficient confirmation of her influence. After David's death she was treated with profound reverence by her son, king Solomon. The period of her death is not recorded ; but the last time she is mentioned, when she "sat on the right hand" of her son, who was "on his throne," was about B. C. 1012.
BATTISTATI, LOUISA,
A native of Stradella, Sardinia, and a mantua-maker at Milan, displayed remarkable courage during the five days of the Revolution at Milan, in 1848. On Sunday, March 10th. she disarmed a cavalry soldier, though he carried a carbine. She placed herself at the head of the Poppietti bridge, and steadily continued there, fighting against the enemy during the 20th. 21st. and 22nd. days, heading a valiant band of young men, and killing a Croate at every shot. She defended the large establishment at Vettabia, which contained 680 persons, being the edifice in which the widows and their children, and other females took refuge when Barbaressa stormed Milan. This young woman was, in 1850, married, and doing duty in the civic guard. To this woman must be given a place in history, beside the heroine of Saragossa, and other examples of female intrepidity.
