Mary Astell

“We may not commit a lesser Sin under pretence to avoid a greater, but we may, nay we ought to endure the greatest Pain and Grief rather than commit the least Sin.”

“We ought as much as we can to endeavour the Perfecting of our Beings, and that we be as happy as possibly we may.”

“Upon the principles of reason, the good of many is preferable to the good of a few or of one; a lasting good is to be preferred before a temporary, the public before the private.”

“The Relation we bear to the Wisdom of the Father, the Son of His Love, gives us indeed a dignity which otherwise we have no pretence to. It makes us something, something considerable even in...”

“Marry for Love, an Heroick Action, which makes a mighty noise in the World, partly because of its rarity, and partly in regard of its extravagancy.”

“If none were to Marry, but Men of strict Vertue and Honour, I doubt the World would be but thinly peopled.”

“Unhappy is that Grandeur which makes us too great to be good; and that Wit which sets us at a distance from true Wisdom.”