Mary Astell Quotes on Politics
Mary Astell was an English philosopher and one of the first advocates in English of the equal education of women. This page collects quotes attributed to Mary Astell on the topic of politics, drawn from across the philosopher's works.
Quotes
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“If all Men are born free, how is it that all Women are born slaves?”
Reflection upon Marriage (1700), as quoted in Astell: Political Writings , p. 18, by Mary Astell, Editor Patricia Springborg. Editorial Cambridge University Press, 1996. ISBN 0521428459 . -
“If absolute Sovereignty be not necessary in a State, how comes it to be so in a Family?”
As quoted in Mary Astell: Reason, Gender, Faith , p. 203, by William Kolbrener. Editor Michal Michelson. Editorial Routledge, 2016. ISBN 1317100093 . -
“As quoted in Women's Political & Social Thought: An Anthology , p. 112. Editors Hilda L. Smith, Berenice A. Carroll. Editorial Indiana University Press, 2000. ISBN 0253337585 .”
Is it the being tied to One that offends us? Why this ought rather to recommend it to us, and would really do so, were we guided by reason, and not by humor and brutish passion. He who does not make friendship the chief inducement of his choice, and prefer it before any other consideration does not deserve a good wife, and therefore should not complain if he goes without one... The Christian insti -
“Reflection upon Marriage (1700), as quoted in Astell: Political Writings , p. 18, by Mary Astell, Editor Patricia Springborg. Editorial Cambridge University Press, 1996. ISBN 0521428459 .”
If all Men are born free, how is it that all Women are born slaves? as they must be if the being subjected to the inconstant, uncertain, unknown, arbitrary Will of Men be the perfect Condition of Slavery? -
“Reflection upon Marriage , as quoted in Astell: Political Writings , p. 42.”
Thus, whether it be wit or beauty that a man’s in love with, there are no great hopes of a lasting happiness; beauty, with all the helps of arts, is of no long date; the more it is , the sooner it decays; and he, who only or chiefly chose for beauty, will in a little time find the same reason for another choice.