It should, however, be noted that in European countries women were more vitally concerned in their own destinies. Between 1600 and 1641 there appeared at least three significant books by women dealing with the intellectual emancipation of their sex. The earliest of these came from Italy in 1608 with a second edition in 1621. It was written by a young Venetian widow, Lucrecia Marinelli (1571-1653), and was entitled _Della notabilità e della eccellenza delle donne e dei difetti degli uomini_. A second and better known book was by Marie de Jars, the _fille d'alliance_ of Montaigne, usually known as Mlle. de Gournay.[63] Her book, entitled _L'Egalité des Hommes et des Femmes_, appeared in 1604 when "the Pride of Gournay," "the French Siren," as she was called, had become well known in the cultivated circles of Paris through her definitive edition of Montaigne's works in 1595. Mlle. de Gournay's thesis as to the dignity and capacity of women is established by divine authority and by citations from the church fathers and ancient philosophers. She follows up these expressions of opinion by a thorough résumé from sacred and profane history of the women who have worthily held high places. M. Feugère[64] voices what must be the opinion of any modern reader when he says that _L'Egalité_ would be _plus piquant_ without the pedantic form in which it is cast, without _les citations fréquentes et les raisonnements scholastiques qui le surchargent_. But however cumbersome we may find her method, it apparently suited her public, for the book was enthusiastically received. The third and by far the most important book on the position and desirable training of women was by Anna van Schurman of Utrecht. The extremes to which Mlle. de Gournay carried her doctrines were distasteful to Anna van Schurman, yet many of her ideas were doubtless based on the work of her French predecessor, _la mère du féminisme moderne_. Anna van Schurman's book was translated into English and had a direct influence on the progress of English educational ideals for women. It is taken up in detail later in this discussion.