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
born men women
If all men are born free, how is it that all women are born slaves?
sex men wife
How can a Man respect his Wife when he has a contemptible Opinion of her and her Sex?
men doubt would-be
If none were to Marry, but Men of strict Vertue and Honour, I doubt the World would be but thinly peopled.
men thinking suffering
For my part I think the Learned, and Unlearned Blockhead pretty equal; for 'tis all one to me, whether a Man talk Nonsense, or unintelligible Sense, I am diverted and edified alike by either; the one enjoys himself less, but suffers his Friends to do it more; the other enjoys himself and his own Humour enough, but will let no body else do it in his Company.
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 ...
believe men self
None of us whether Men or Women but have so good an Opinion of our own Conduct as to believe we are fit, if not to direct others, at least to govern our selves.
heart men be-good
That Man indeed can never be good at heart, who is full of himself and his own Endowments.
men birth slave
If all men are born free, why is it that all women are born slaves?
apt concerns great pity smaller themselves
'Tis very great pity that they who are so apt to over-rate themselves in smaller matters, shou'd, where it most concerns them to know, and stand upon their Value, be so insensible of their own worth.
few good lasting preferable preferred public
Upon the principles of reason, the good of many is preferable to the good of a few or of one; a lasting good is to be preferred before a temporary, the public before the private.
There is not anything so excellent, but some will carp at it. . .
slavery sacred cases
Why is Slavery so much condemn'd and strove against in one Case, and so highly applauded and held so necessary and so sacred in another?
heart mind convincing
Whilst our Hearts are violently set upon any thing, there is no convincing us that we shall ever be of another Mind.