mary wollstonecraft

“ Friendship is a serious affection; the most sublime of all affections, because it is founded on principle, and cemented by time. ”

“ It is vain to expect virtue from women till they are in some degree independent of men. ”

“ Nor to dry up the feelings by employing the mind in investigations remote from life. ”

“ Surely something resides in this heart that is not perishableand life is more than a dream. ”

“ Taught from their infancy that beauty is woman's sceptre, the mind shapes itself to the body, and roaming round its gilt cage, only seeks to adorn its prison. ”

“ For the improvement must be mutual, or the injustice which one half of the human race are obliged to submit to, retorting on their oppressors, the virtue of men will be worm-eaten by the insect whom he keeps under his feet. ”

“ I love man as my fellow; but his scepter, real, or usurped, extends not to me, unless the reason of an individual demands my homage, and even then the submission is to reason, and not to man. ”

“ My dreams were all my own; I accounted for them to nobody; they were my refuge when annoyedmy dearest pleasure when free. ”

“ If we revert to history, we shall find that the women who have distinguished themselves have neither been the most beautiful nor the most gentle of their sex. ”

“ Make them free, and they will quickly become wise and virtuous, as men become more so. ”