Some have falsely reported that she was poisoned by the orders of the dauphin, Louis the Eleventh. From her beauty, she was called the fairest of the fair, and she possessed great mental powers. She bore three daughters to Charles the Seventh, who were openly acknowledged by him.
She herself relates, that an astrologer, whom she had previously instructed, being admitted to her presence, said before Charles, that unless the stars were deceivers, she had inspired a lasting passion in a great monarch. Turning to the king, Agnes said, "Sire, suffer me to fulfil my destiny, to retire from your court to that of the king of England; Henry, who is about to add to his son the crown you relinquish, is doubtless the object of this prediction." The severity of this reproof effectually roused Charles from his indolence and supineness.
The tomb of Agnes was strewed with flowers by the poets of France. Even Louis, when he came to the throne, was far from treating her memory with disrespect. The canons of Loches, from a servile desire to gratify the reigning monarch, had, notwithstanding her liberalities to their church, proposed to destroy her mausoleum. Louis reproached them with their ingratitude, ordered them to fulfil all her injunctions, and added fix thousand livres to the charitable donations which she had originally made.
Francis the First, honoured and cherished her memory. The four lines made on her by that prince, are well known:—
Gentille Agnes! plus d'honneur tu merite.
La cause etant do France recouvrer,
Que ce que peut dans un cloitre ouvrer
Clause Nonain, ou bien devote hermite.
AGNESE.
Abbess of Quedlinburg was one of the most distinguished artists of the twelfth century, excelling both in miniature painting and embroidery. Among her works, some of which are still extant, is a piece of tapestry, in which the following Latin verses are wrought.
"Alme Dei vates, decus hoc tibi contulit Agnes,
Gloria Pontiticum, famularum suscipe votum."
This talented lady died in 1205.
AGNESI, MARIA GAETANA,
A native of Milan, born March 16th., 1718, gave early indications of extraordinary abilities, devoted herself to the abstract sciences, and at the age of nineteen supported a hundred and ninety-one theses, which were afterwards published. She attained such consummate skill in mathematics, that the Pope allowed her to succeed her father as professor of Bologna. Her knowledge of ancient and modern languages was also extensive. She died in 1799, at Milan, where several years before she had taken the veil Her great work is "Analytical Institutions," and has been translated by the Rev. John Colson, of the University of Cambridge. This able mathematician considered "The Analytical Institutions" of Agnesi such an excellent work, that he studied Italian in order to translate it into English. At his death he left the manuscript ready for publication. The commentators of Newton were acquainted with her mathematical works, while they were in manuscript.
