Mary Astell's 'A Serious Proposal to the Ladies, for the Advancement of their True and Greatest Interest' is a groundbreaking work that addresses the lack of educational opportunities for women in the 17th century. Astell argues that women should have access to the same intellectual pursuits as men, advocating for the establishment of institutions to provide women with a solid education. Written in a persuasive and engaging style, the book is a call to action for women to assert their intellectual capabilities and demand equality in education. Astell's work is considered a seminal text in feminist literature, challenging traditional views on women's education and their role in society. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of women's rights and the development of feminist thought.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Mary Astell’s A Serious Proposal to the Ladies is one of the most important and neglected works advocating the establishment of women’s academies. Its reception was so controversial that Astell responded with a lengthy sequel, also in this volume. The cause of great notoriety, Astell’s Proposal was imitated by Defoe in his “An Academy for Women,” parodied in the Tatler, satirized on the stage, plagiarized by Bishop Berkeley, and later mocked by Gilbert and Sullivan in Princess Ida.

Mary Astell’s A Serious Proposal to the Ladies is one of the most important and neglected works advocating the establishment of women’s academies. Its reception was so controversial that Astell responded with a lengthy sequel, also in this volume. The cause of great notoriety, Astell’s Proposal was imitated by Defoe in his “An Academy for Women,” parodied in the Tatler, satirized on the stage, plagiarized by Bishop Berkeley, and later mocked by Gilbert and Sullivan in Princess Ida.