Mary Astell Quotes

Quotes about:

• 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

  47 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.

  12 Copy quote

• If none were to Marry, but Men of strict Vertue and Honour, I doubt the World would be but thinly peopled.

  Mary Astell

  Men, Doubt, Would Be

  Mary Astell, Patricia Springborg (1996). “Astell: Political Writings”, p.50, Cambridge University Press

  3 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

  11 Copy quote

• 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

  8 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

  9 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

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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

  7 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”

  7 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.

  53 Copy quote

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

  Mary Astell

  Men, Birth, Slave

  6 Copy quote

• 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

  4 Copy quote

• 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.

  Mary Astell

  Believe, Men, Self

  Mary Astell, Patricia Springborg (1996). “Astell: Political Writings”, p.54, Cambridge University Press

  5 Copy quote

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

  Mary Astell

  Life, Matter, Too Short

  5 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).

  2 Copy quote

• Every Body has so good an Opinion of their own Understanding as to think their own way the best.

  Mary Astell

  Thinking, Understanding, Body

  Mary Astell, Patricia Springborg (1996). “Astell: Political Writings”, p.68, Cambridge University Press

  0 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)

  0 Copy quote

• He who will be just, must be forc'd to acknowledge, that neither Sex are always in the right.

  Mary Astell

  Sex, Acknowledge

  Mary Astell, Patricia Springborg (1996). “Astell: Political Writings”, p.43, Cambridge University Press

  4 Copy quote

• 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.

  Mary Astell

  Matter, Pity, Rate

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

  3 Copy quote

• none can be Tyrants but Cowards.

  Mary Astell

  Tyrants, Coward, Tyranny

  Mary Astell (2002). “A Serious Proposal to the Ladies”, p.247, Broadview Press

  3 Copy quote

• 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

  4 Copy quote

• But, alas! what poor Woman is ever taught that she should have a higher Design than to get her a Husband?

  Mary Astell

  Marriage, Husband, Should Have

  Mary Astell, Patricia Springborg (1996). “Astell: Political Writings”, p.65, Cambridge University Press

  3 Copy quote

• 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.

  Mary Astell

  Men, Thinking, Suffering

  Mary Astell (2002). “A Serious Proposal to the Ladies”, p.254, Broadview Press

  0 Copy quote

• 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.

  Mary Astell

  Passion, Giving, Accomplishment

  John Norris, Mary Astell (1705). “Letters concerning the love of God, between the author of the Proposal to the ladies, and Mr. John Norris: wherein his late discourse, showing that it ought to be intire and exclusive of all other loves, is further cleared and justified”, p.53

  4 Copy quote

• 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.

  Mary Astell

  Use, Insects, Creatures

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

  6 Copy quote

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