Mary Astell
Mary Astell
Mary Astellwas an English feminist writer and rhetorician. Her advocacy of equal educational opportunities for women has earned her the title "the first English feminist."...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionWriter
Date of Birth12 November 1666
life matter too-short
The Span of Life is too short to be trifled away in unconcerning and unprofitable Matters.
heart atheism seats
It is not the Head but the Heart that is the Seat of Atheism.
passion giving accomplishment
Hitherto I have courted Truth with a kind of Romantick Passion, in spite of all Difficulties and Discouragements: for knowledge is thought so unnecessary an Accomplishment for a Woman, that few will give themselves the Trouble to assist us in the Attainment of it.
mind delight body
Every one knows, that the mind will not be kept from contemplating what it loves in the midst of crowds and business. Hence come those frequent absences, so observable in conversation; for whilst the body is confined to present company, the mind is flown to that which it delights in.
ignorance vices foundation
Ignorance and a narrow education lay the foundation of vice, and imitation and custom rear it up.
use insects creatures
None of God's Creatures absolutely consider'd are in their own Nature Contemptible; the meanest Fly, the poorest Insect has its Use and Vertue.
christian uprising doe
Certain I am, that Christian Religion does no where allow Rebellion.
thinking understanding body
Every Body has so good an Opinion of their own Understanding as to think their own way the best.
thinking beloved pleasure
For certainly there cannot be a higher pleasure than to think that we love and are beloved by the most amiable and best Being.
father eye son
The Relation we bear to the Wisdom of the Father, the Son of His Love, gives us indeed a dignity which otherwise we have no pretence to. It makes us something, something considerable even in God's Eyes.
friendship fit virtue
friendship is a virtue which comprehends all the rest; none being fit for this, who is not adorned with every other virtue.
mean men acting
Although it has been said by men of more wit than wisdom, and perhaps more malice than either, that women are naturally incapable of acting prudently, or that they are necessarily determined to folly, I must by no means grant it.
sex husband men
A husband is indeed thought by both sexes so very valuable, that scarce a man who can keep himself clean and make a bow, but thinks he is good enough to pretend to any woman ...
pain grief may
We may not commit a lesser Sin under pretence to avoid a greater, but we may, nay we ought to endure the greatest Pain and Grief rather than commit the least Sin.