Il carteggio fra Francesco Brioschi e Quintino Sella 1859-1883

The correspondence between the mathematician Francesco Brioschi (1824-1897) and Quintino Sella (1827-1884) highlights aspects of their political and cultural activity during the period of the unification of Italy. Both played a significant role not only in the ministerial commissions of public education, finance and public works, but also in local and national academies and scientific societies. The letters show their commitment to the organization of education in technical schools, universities and higher education institutions. Noteworthy was their project to create a single large national academy of mathematical, physical and natural sciences and of moral, historical and philological sciences ‒ the Lincei academy – capable of competing with European and world ones, although few scientists belived at the beginning.