Thoughts on the Education of Daughters

Mary Wollstonecraft

Language:

English

Status:

Complete work

Authorship:

Written by the author

Condition of the text:

Some parts illegible · 12 illegible passages, excluded from answers

Extent:

~18,100 words · 86 passages

* P R E F ACE. N the rollowing pages I have endeavoured to point out ſome important things with reſpect to female education. It is true, many treatifes have been already written; yet it occurred to (me, that much ſtill remained to be ſaid. I ſhall not ſwell theſe ſheets by writing apologies for my attempt. 1 am afraid, indeed, the reflections will, by ſome, be thought too grave; but I could not _ 5 | them leſs fo without writing af- — fectedlyʒ (/ PREFACE. fectedly; yet, though they may be inſipid to the gay, others may not think them ſo; and if they ſhould prove uſeful to one fellow-crea- _. * I ture, and beguile any hours, which E ſorrow has made heavy, I ſhall. FI think I have not been employed 5 in vain. ä 1 DP SE * 7 # <1 "We "IS * * THOUGHTS | OE Ss . : $5.28 o . * : A ; , — .* EDUCATI 5 - i „ 4 * * * 0 E Pe, * * s * 3 & * 1 Taz N F 41 N * ; | F F 4 " * 7 . 4 » 4 : as . — S] conceive it to be the duty of every rational creature to at- * 1 er. ag e tend to its offspring, I am ſorry to obj ſerve, that reaſon and duty together have not ſo powerful an influence ver + Ss * * * 8 * 1 5 . 4 9 * « We - 3 8 A * 0 n > 8: ap ; Js > 8 75 Lt A RIFT 1 Aa. dA $5 8 r * I + <4 — — v * 9 ©. I * . I * ww De Nurſery. human conduct, as inſtinct has in the brute creation. Indolence, and a 5 - thoughtleſs diſregard of every thing, except the preſent indulgence, make many mothers, who may have mo- mentary ſtarts of tenderneſs, negle& their children. They follow a pleaſing impulſe, and never reflect that reaſon ſhould cultivate and govern thoſe in- ſtints which are implanted in us to render. the path of duty pleaſant—for if they are not governed they will run wild; and ſtrengthen the paſſions which are ever endeavouring to ob- tain dominion—I mean vanity and ſelf-love, | ; 'The laying the foundation of a good con- ſtitution.

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