As a sex, women are habitually indolent; and every thing tends to make them so. Mary Wollstonecraft More Quotes by Mary Wollstonecraft More Quotes From Mary Wollstonecraft Women becoming, consequently, weakerthan they ought to behave not sufficient strength to discharge the first duty of a mother; and sacrificing to lasciviousness the parental affectioneither destroy the embryo in the womb, or cast if off when born. Nature in every thing demands respect, and those who violate her laws seldom violate them with impunity. Mary Wollstonecraft sacrifice law mother Judicious books enlarge the mind and improve the heart. Mary Wollstonecraft mind heart book If the abstract rights of man will bear discussion and explanation, those of women, by a parity of reasoning, will not shrink from the same test. Mary Wollstonecraft women tests rights Modesty is the graceful, calm virtue of maturity; bashfulness the charm of vivacious youth. Mary Wollstonecraft vivacious modesty maturity The conduct of an accountable being must be regulated by the operations of its own reason. Mary Wollstonecraft morality behavior reason The graceful ivy, clasping the oak that supported it, would form a whole in which strength and beauty would be equally conspicuous. Mary Wollstonecraft ivy would-be beauty A king is always a king - and a woman always a woman: his authority and her sex ever stand between them and rational converse Mary Wollstonecraft authority kings sex Love, from its very nature, must be transitory. Mary Wollstonecraft transitory panacea But what a weak barrier is truth when it stands in the way of an hypothesis! Mary Wollstonecraft hypothesis weak way Situation seems to be the mould in which men's characters are formed. Mary Wollstonecraft mould character men Surely something resides in this heart that is not perishable - and life is more than a dream. Mary Wollstonecraft literature dream heart To improve both sexes they ought, not only in private families, but in public schools, to be educated together. If marriage be the cement of society, mankind should all be educated after the same model, or the intercourse of the sexes will never deserve the name of fellowship. Mary Wollstonecraft marriage sex school Executions, far from being useful examples to the survivors, have, I am persuaded, a quite contrary effect, by hardening the heart they ought to terrify. Besides, the fear of an ignominious death, I believe, never deterred anyone from the commission of a crime, because in committing it the mind is roused to activity about present circumstances. Mary Wollstonecraft mind heart believe True happiness must arise from well-regulated affections, and an affection includes a duty. Mary Wollstonecraft affection arise happiness Make them free, and they will quickly become wise and virtous, as men become more so; 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 Mary Wollstonecraft race wise men Friendship and domestic happiness are continually praised; yet how little is there of either in the world, because it requires more cultivation of mind to keep awake affection, even in our own hearts, than the common run of people suppose. Mary Wollstonecraft heart running people People thinking for themselves have more energy in their voice, than any government, which it is possible for human wisdom to invent; and every government not aware of this sacred truth will, at some period, be suddenly overturned. Mary Wollstonecraft voice government thinking Children, I grant, should be innocent; but when the epithet is applied to men, or women, it is but a civil term for weakness. Mary Wollstonecraft women weakness children ... wealth and female softness equally tend to debase mankind! Mary Wollstonecraft wealth mankind female Men and women must be educated, in a great degree, by the opinions and manners of the society they live in. In every age there has been a stream of popular opinion that has carried all before it, and given a family character, as it were, to the century. It may then fairly be inferred, that, till society be differently constituted, much cannot be expected from education. Mary Wollstonecraft age character men
