while accompanying her uncle and aunt to burntisland in the summer she had access to elementary books on algebra and geometry. she spent the summer learning to play the piano and learning greek so that she could read xenophon and herodotus. back in edinburgh she was allowed to attend the academy alexander nasmyth had opened for ladies. nasmyth advised another student to study euclid's elements to gain a foundation in perspective, astronomy and mechanical science. somerville spotted the opportunity, as she thought the book would help her understand "navigations" by john robertson.