oys all strength of character. Liberty is the
mother of virtue, and if women be, by their very constitution, slaves,
and not allowed to breathe the sharp invigorating air of freedom, they
must ever languish like exotics, and be reckoned beautiful flaws in
nature.... Women, I allow, may have different duties to fulfil; but they
are human duties.... If marriage be the cement of society, mankind
should all be educated after the same model, or the intercourse of the
sexes will never deserve the name of fellowship, nor will women ever
fulfil the peculiar duties of their sex, till they become enlightened
citizens, till they become free by being enabled to earn their own
subsistence, independent of men; in the same manner, I mean, to prevent
misconstruction, as one man is independent of another. Nay, marriage
will never be held sacred till women, by being brought up with men, are
prepared to be their companions rather than their mistresses."

It is a brave but singularly balanced view of human life and society.
There is in it no trace of the dogmatic individualism that distorts the
speculations of Godwin and clogs the more practical thinking of Paine.
It is, indeed, a protest against the exaggeration of sex, which
instilled in women "the desire of being always women." It flouts that
external morality of reputation, which would have a woman always "seem
to be this and that," because her whole status in the world depended on
the opinion which men held of her. It demands in words which anticipate
Ibsen's _Doll's House_, that a woman shall be herself and lead her own
life. But "her own life" was for Mary Wollstonecraft a social life. The
ideal is the perfect companionship of men and women, and the preparation
of men and women, by an equal practice of modesty and chastity, and an
equal advance in education, to be the parents of their children. She is
ready indeed to rest her whole case for the education of women upon the
duties of maternity. "Whatever tends to incapacitate the maternal
character takes woman out of her sphere." The education which she
demanded was the co-education of men and women in common schools. She
attacked the dual standard of sexual morality with a brave plainness of
speech. She demanded the opening of suitable trades and professions to
women. She exposed the whole system which compels women to "live by
their charm." But a less destructive reformer never set out to
overthrow conventions. For her the duty alway