A Vindication of the Rights of Woman | Page 4

CHAPTER 7.
MODESTY. COMPREHENSIVELY CONSIDERED, AND NOT AS
A SEXUAL VIRTUE.

CHAPTER 8.
MORALITY UNDERMINED BY SEXUAL NOTIONS OF THE
IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD REPUTATION

CHAPTER 9.
OF THE PERNICIOUS EFFECTS WHICH ARISE FROM THE
UNNATURAL DISTINCTIONS ESTABLISHED IN SOCIETY.

CHAPTER 10.
PARENTAL AFFECTION.

CHAPTER 11.
DUTY TO PARENTS

CHAPTER 12.
ON NATIONAL EDUCATION

CHAPTER 13.
SOME INSTANCES OF THE FOLLY WHICH THE IGNORANCE
OF WOMEN GENERATES; WITH CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS
ON THE MORAL IMPROVEMENT THAT A REVOLUTION IN
FEMALE MANNERS MAY NATURALLY BE EXPECTED TO

PRODUCE. 8 April, 2001
A BRIEF SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT.
M. Wollstonecraft was born in 1759. Her father was so great a
wanderer, that the place of her birth is uncertain; she supposed,
however, it was London, or Epping Forest: at the latter place she spent
the first five years of her life. In early youth she exhibited traces of
exquisite sensibility, soundness of understanding, and decision of
character; but her father being a despot in his family, and her mother
one of his subjects, Mary, derived little benefit from their parental
training. She received no literary instructions but such as were to be
had in ordinary day schools. Before her sixteenth year she became
acquainted with Mr. Clare a clergyman, and Miss Frances Blood; the
latter, two years older than herself; who possessing good taste and
some knowledge of the fine arts, seems to have given the first impulse
to the formation of her character. At the age of nineteen, she left her
parents, and resided with a Mrs. Dawson for two years; when she
returned to the parental roof to give attention to her mother, whose ill
health made her presence necessary. On the death of her mother, Mary
bade a final adieu to her father's house, and became the inmate of F.
Blood; thus situated, their intimacy increased, and a strong attachment
was reciprocated. In 1783 she commenced a day school at Newington
green, in conjunction with her friend, F. Blood. At this place she
became acquainted with Dr. Price, to whom she became strongly
attached; the regard was mutual.
It is said that she became a teacher from motives of benevolence, or
rather philanthropy, and during the time she continued in the profession,
she gave proof of superior qualification for the performance of its
arduous and important duties. Her friend and coadjutor married and
removed to Lisbon, in Portugal, where she died of a pulmonary disease;
the symptoms of which were visible before her marriage. So true was
Mary's attachment to her, that she entrusted her school to the care of
others, for the purpose of attending Frances in her closing scene. She
aided, as did Dr. Young, in "Stealing Narcissa a grave." Her mind was
expanded by this residence in a foreign country, and though clear of
religious bigotry before, she took some instructive lessons on the evils
of superstition, and intolerance.
On her return she found the school had suffered by her absence, and

having previously decided to apply herself to literature, she now
resolved to commence. In 1787 she made, or received, proposals from
Johnson, a publisher in London, who was already acquainted with her
talents as an author. During the three subsequent years, she was
actively engaged, more in translating, condensing, and compiling, than
in the production of original works. At this time she laboured under
much depression of spirits, for the loss of her friend; this rather
increased, perhaps, by the publication of "Mary, a novel," which was
mostly composed of incidents and reflections connected with their
intimacy.
The pecuniary concerns of her father becoming embarrassed, Mary
practised a rigid economy in her expenditures, and with her savings
was enabled to procure her sisters and brothers situations, to which
without her aid, they could not have had access; her father was
sustained at length from her funds; she even found means to take under
her protection an orphan child.
She had acquired a facility in the arrangement and expression of
thoughts, in her avocation of translator, and compiler, which was no
doubt of great use to her afterward. It was not long until she had
occasion for them. The eminent Burke produced his celebrated
"Reflections on the Revolution in France." Mary full of sentiments of
liberty, and indignant at what she thought subversive of it, seized her
pen and produced the first attack upon that famous work. It succeeded
well, for though intemperate and contemptuous, it was vehemently and
impetuously eloquent; and though Burke was beloved by the
enlightened friends of freedom, they were dissatisfied and disgusted
with what they deemed an outrage upon it.
It is said that Mary, had not wanted confidence in her own powers
before, but the reception this work met from the public, gave