Sections 1 The opinions speciously supported, in some modern publications on the female character, and… 2 "Girls are from their earliest infancy fond of dress. 3 This is certainly only an education of the body; but Rousseau is not the only man who has… 4 And why is the life of a modest woman a perpetual conflict? 5 Formed to live with such an imperfect being as man, they ought to learn from the exercise of… 6 But this partial moralist recommends cunning systematically and plausibly. 7 Men have superiour strength of body; but were it not for mistaken notions of beauty, women… 8 But to complete the sketch. 9 "As authority ought to regulate the religion of the women, it is not so needful to explain… 10 "They who pass their whole lives in working for their daily bread, have no ideas beyond… 11 But he returns to his unintelligible paradoxes again, when he thus addresses Sophia. 12 The man who can be contented to live with a pretty useful companion without a mind, has lost… 13 But peace to his manes! 14 Dr. 15 (*Footnote. 16 Idle empty words! 17 Still Dr. 18 I shall pass over his strictures on religion, because I mean to discuss that subject in a… 19 The air of fashion, which many young people are so eager to attain, always strikes me like… 20 Wishing to feed the affections with what is now the food of vanity, I would fain persuade my… 21 Whilst reason raises man above the brutal herd, and death is big with promises, they alone… 22 These are true masculine sentiments. 23 The Baroness de Stael speaks the same language as the lady just cited, with more enthusiasm. 24 When women are once sufficiently enlightened to discover their real interest, on a grand… 25 Many similar opinions occur in her writings, mixed with sentiments that do honour to her… 26 For every thing, saith the wise man, there is reason; and who would look for the fruits of… 27 In life, on the contrary, as we gradually discover the imperfections of our nature, we… 28 Our trees are now allowed to spread with wild luxuriance, nor do we expect by force to… 29 The passions also, the winds of life, would be useless, if not injurious, did the substance… 30 In what light will the world now appear? 31 The habit of reflection, and the knowledge attained by fostering any passion, might be shown… 32 I may be told, that the knowledge thus acquired, is sometimes purchased at too dear a rate. 33 It is impossible to converse with people to any purpose, who, in this style, only use…
Start Learning Wollstonecraft's longest and most detailed chapter, working author by author — Rousseau's Sophie at greatest length, then Dr. Fordyce's sermons, Dr. Gregory's Legacy to His Daughters, and Chesterfield and Mrs. Piozzi — to dismantle the conduct-book tradition that flatters female weakness.
Rousseau's Sophie dismantled at length Dr. Fordyce's sermons to young women Dr. Gregory's Legacy to His Daughters Conduct-book writers who flatter weakness
33 sections · ~75 min read
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