A serious proposal to the Ladies, for the advancement of their true and greatest

Mary Astell

Language:

English

Status:

Complete work

Authorship:

Written by the author

Condition of the text:

Clean text

Extent:

~66,300 words · 315 passages

Since the Profitable Adventures that have gone abroad in the World have met with so great Encouragement, tho’ the highest advantage they can propose, is an uncertain Lot for such matters as Opinion, not real worth, gives a value to; things which if obtain’d are as flitting and fickle as that Chance which is to dispose of them; I therefore persuade my self, you will not be less kind to a Proposition that comes attended with more certain and substantial Gain; whose only design is to improve your Charms and heighten your Value, by suffering you no longer to be cheap and contemptible. Its aim is to fix that Beauty, to make it lasting and permanent, which Nature with all the helps of Art cannot secure, and to place it out of the reach of Sickness and Old Age, by transferring it from a corruptible Body to an immortal Mind. An obliging Design, which wou’d procure them _inward_ Beauty, to whom Nature has unkindly denied the _outward_, and not permit those Ladies who have comely Bodies, to tarnish their Glory with deformed Souls. Wou’d have you all be wits, or what is better, Wise. Raise you above the Vulgar by something more truly illustrious, than a sounding Title or a great Estate. Wou’d excite in you a generous Emulation to excel in the best things, and not in such Trifles as every mean person who has but Money enough may purchase as well as you. Not suffer you to take up with the low thought of distinguishing your selves by any thing that is not truly valuable, and procure you such Ornaments as all the Treasures of the _Indies_ are not able to purchase. Wou’d help you to surpass the Men as much in Vertue and Ingenuity, as you do in Beauty; tha

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