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The Rainbow

Ada Lovelace

A sonnet handwritten and signed by Ada Lovelace, showing her poetic side alongside her mathematical work.

A sonnet in Lovelace's own hand, showing the poetic side of her 'poetical science'.

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Handwritten manuscript on lined paper, titled 'Sonnet' and 'The Rainbow', in cursive ink, signed 'A. A. Lovelace' at the bottom right. Page number 115 in the top right corner.
Ada Lovelace, "The Rainbow", manuscript sonnet. Somerville College.

About this source

What it is

This is a sonnet titled "The Rainbow", written in the hand of Ada Lovelace and signed "A. A. Lovelace" on lined manuscript paper. It is held among papers connected to Somerville College.

Why it matters

Lovelace is remembered mostly for her mathematical writing, especially her Notes on the Analytical Engine, but this handwritten poem shows another side of her. It fits with her own description of her approach as "poetical science", blending imagination and feeling with reasoning, and reminds students that historical figures are rarely one-dimensional.

Look closer

  • What feelings or ideas does the poem explore, and how might they connect to Lovelace's scientific thinking?
  • Why might someone known for mathematics also have written poetry?
  • What does the handwriting and signature tell you about the document's authenticity?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Ada Lovelace on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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