ABSTRACT
Mary Astell was an English philosopher and writer who advocated for women’s education. Seventeenth century education for English women, such that it was, consisted in training in music, dancing, embroidery, and household management. Astell was concerned that women were taught only to attend to the goods of the body resulting in the neglect of the goods of the mind. Some Reflections upon Marriage was inspired by the scandalous split of Astell’s neighbor, Duchess of Mazarine, from her husband. Astell uses Mazarine’s story as an introduction to her critique of unequal marriage and women’s lack of education. Men ought really for their own sakes to do what in them lies to make women wise and good, and then it might be hoped they themselves would effectually study and practice that wisdom and virtue they recommend to others.
