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Independence I have long considered as the grand blessing of life, the basis of every virtue; and independence I will ever secure by contracting my wants, though I were to live on a barren heath.

Mary Wollstonecraft

It is vain to expect virtue from women till they are in some degree independent of men.
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Expectation Independence Man Virtue Woman
They who pass their whole lives in working for their daily bread, have no ideas beyond their business or their interest, and all their understanding seems to lie in their fingers ends.
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Beyond Business End Fingers Ideas Lie Live Understanding
As sound politics diffuse liberty, mankind, including woman, will become more wise and virtuous.
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Liberty Politics Virtue Wisdom Woman
Virtue flies from a house divided against itself—and a whole legion of devils take up their residence there.
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Devil Virtue
Considering the length of time that women have been dependent, is it surprising that some of them hug their chains, and fawn like the spaniel?
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Time Woman
My dreams were all my own; I accounted for them to nobody; they were my refuge when annoyed – my dearest pleasure when free.
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Dream Freedom Myself
In short, women, in general, as well as the rich of both sexes, have acquired all the follies and vices of civilization, and missed the useful fruit.
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Rich Sex Vice Woman
How can a rational being be ennobled by any thing that is not obtained by its own exertions?
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Human Philosophy
Men and women must be educated, in a great degree, by the opinions and manners of the society they live in.
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Education Live Man Opinion Woman Worth
The power of generalizing ideas, of drawing comprehensive conclusions from individual observations, is the only acquirement, for an immortal being, that really deserves the name of knowledge.
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Deserve Ideas Knowledge Mortal Power
Either nature has made a great difference between man and man, or that the world is not yet anywhere near to being fully civilized.
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Difference Greatness Man Nature
Let us eat, drink, and love for tomorrow we die, would be in fact the language of reason, the morality of life; and who but a fool would part with a reality for a fleeting shadow?
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Death Eat Food Language Love Moral Philosophy Reality Reason
Into this error men have, probably, been led by viewing education in a false light; not considering it as the first step to form a being advancing gradually towards perfection; but only as a preparation for life.
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Education Life Man Mistake Perfection Preparation View
Only that education deserves emphatically to be termed cultivation of the mind which teaches young people how to begin to think.
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Beginning Education People Teaching Thinking Young
Surely something resides in this heart that is not perishable – and life is more than a dream.
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Dream End Forever Heart Life Live
Only by the jostlings of equality can we form a just opinion of ourselves.
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Equality Opinion Ourselves

Independence I have long considered as the grand blessing of life, the basis of every virtue; and independence I will ever secure by contracting my wants, though I were to live on a barren heath.

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Independence I have long considered as the grand blessing of life, the basis of every virtue; and independence I will ever secure by contracting my wants, though I were to live on a barren heath.

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Popular Authors

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