Mary Astell Quotes

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• If all men are born free, why is it that all women are born slaves?

  Mary Astell

  Men, Birth, Slave

  12 Copy quote

• If God had not intended that Women shou'd use their Reason, He wou'd not have given them any, 'for He does nothing in vain.

  Mary Astell

  Doe, Use, Reason

  Mary Astell, Bridget Hill (1986). “The first English feminist: reflections upon marriage and other writings”

  12 Copy quote

• Truth is strong, and sometime or other will prevail.

  Mary Astell

  Strong, Truth Will Prevail, Truth Is

  Mary Astell, Patricia Springborg (1996). “Astell: Political Writings”, p.78, Cambridge University Press

  55 Copy quote

• We must Think what we Say, and Mean what we Profess.

  Mary Astell

  Mean, Thinking

  Mary Astell, Patricia Springborg (1996). “Astell: Political Writings”, p.45, Cambridge University Press

  6 Copy quote

• Women are from their very infancy debarred those Advantages with the want of which they are afterwards reproached.

  Mary Astell

  Infancy Is, Want, Advantage

  1694 A Serious Proposal to the Ladies For the Advancement of their True and Greatest Interest,'By a Lover of Her Sex', pt.1.

  58 Copy quote

• How can you be content to be in the world like tulips in a garden, to make a fine show, and be good for nothing.

  Mary Astell

  Garden, World, Fine

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• The Span of Life is too short to be trifled away in unconcerning and unprofitable Matters.

  Mary Astell

  Life, Matter, Too Short

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• Ignorance and a narrow education lay the foundation of vice, and imitation and custom rear it up.

  Mary Astell

  Ignorance, Vices, Foundation

  Mary Astell (2002). “A Serious Proposal to the Ladies”, p.67, Broadview Press

  7 Copy quote

• A woman indeed can't properly be said to choose, all that is allowed her, is to refuse or accept what is offered.

  Mary Astell

  Accepting, Said, Refuse

  1706 Some Reflections upon Marriage Occasion'd by the Duke and Duchess of Mazarine's Case which is also consider'd, preface (1706 edn).

  8 Copy quote

• Your glass will not do you half so much service as a serious reflection on your own minds.

  Mary Astell

  Reflection, Glasses, Mind

  1694 A Serious Proposal to the Ladies For the Advancement of their True and Greatest Interest,'By a Lover of Her Sex', pt.1.

  17 Copy quote

• Women are not so well united as to form an Insurrection. They are for the most part wise enough to love their Chains, and to discern how becomingly they fit.

  Mary Astell

  Wise, Fit, Enough

  Mary Astell, Patricia Springborg (1996). “Astell: Political Writings”, p.29, Cambridge University Press

  9 Copy quote

• How can a Man respect his Wife when he has a contemptible Opinion of her and her Sex?

  Mary Astell

  Sex, Men, Wife

  Mary Astell, Patricia Springborg (1996). “Astell: Political Writings”, p.57, Cambridge University Press

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• We all agree that its fit to be as Happy as we can, and we need no Instructor to teach us this Knowledge, 'tis born with us, and is inseparable from our Being, but we very much need to be Inform'd what is the true Way to Happiness.

  Mary Astell

  Needs, Way, Fit

  Mary Astell (2002). “A Serious Proposal to the Ladies”, p.129, Broadview Press

  11 Copy quote

• Fetters of gold are still fetters, and the softest lining can never make them so easy as liberty.

  Mary Astell

  Justice, Diversity, Liberty

  'An Essay in Defence of the Female Sex' (1696) p. 25

  13 Copy quote

• If absolute sovereignty be not necessary in a State, how comes it to be so in a family?

  Mary Astell

  States, Sovereignty, Absolutes

  Reflections upon Marriage, 3rd ed., preface (1706)

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• For certainly there cannot be a higher pleasure than to think that we love and are beloved by the most amiable and best Being.

  Mary Astell

  Thinking, Beloved, Pleasure

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• That Man indeed can never be good at heart, who is full of himself and his own Endowments.

  Mary Astell

  Heart, Men, Be Good

  Mary Astell, Patricia Springborg (1996). “Astell: Political Writings”, p.47, Cambridge University Press

  8 Copy quote

• To plead for the Oppress'd and to defend the Weak seem'd to me a generous undertaking; for tho' it may be secure, 'tis not always Honourable to run over to the strongest party.

  Mary Astell

  Running, Party, Glitter

  Mary Astell, Patricia Springborg (1996). “Astell: Political Writings”, p.79, Cambridge University Press

  16 Copy quote

• 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?

  Mary Astell

  Slavery, Sacred, Cases

  1706 Some Reflections upon Marriage Occasion'd by the Duke and Duchess of Mazarine's Case which is also consider'd, preface (1706 edn).

  5 Copy quote

• Women are from their very infancy debarred those advantages with the want of which they are aftewards reproached, and nursed up in those vices which will hereafter be upbraided to them. So partial are men as to expect bricks when they afford no straw.

  Mary Astell

  Men, Vices, Want

  1694 A Serious Proposal to the Ladies For the Advancement of their True and Greatest Interest,'By a Lover of Her Sex', pt.1.

  4 Copy quote

• Women need not take up with mean things, since (if they are not wanting to themselves) they are capable of the best.

  Mary Astell

  Mean, Needs, Ifs

  Mary Astell (2002). “A Serious Proposal to the Ladies”, p.59, Broadview Press

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• 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.

  Mary Astell

  Mean, Men, Acting

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• 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.

  Mary Astell

  Mind, Delight, Body

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• We ought as much as we can to endeavour the Perfecting of our Beings, and that we be as happy as possibly we may.

  Mary Astell

  May, Endeavour, Ought

  Mary Astell (2002). “A Serious Proposal to the Ladies”, p.129, Broadview Press

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• The design of Rhetoric is to remove those Prejudices that lie in the way of Truth, to Reduce the Passions to the Government of Reasons; to place our Subject in a Right Light, and excite our Hearers to a due consideration of it.

  Mary Astell

  Lying, Passion, Light

  Mary Astell (2002). “A Serious Proposal to the Ladies”, p.190, Broadview Press

  8 Copy quote

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