ASTELL, (MARY) Daughter of Mr. Astell, a Merchant at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Died in 1731, aged 63.
An uncle of this lady, who was a clergyman, having observed in her proofs of a superior capacity, generously undertook to be her preceptor; and, under his tuition, she learned Italian and French, and made a considerable progress in logic, philosophy, and the mathematics.
At the age of twenty, she left Newcastle and went to London, where, and at Chelsea, she spent the remaining part of her life. Here she assiduously prosecuted her studies, and acquired very considerable attainments in all the branches of polite literature.
About this time, the Rev. John Norris published his Practical Discourses upon several Divine Subjects; which gave occasion for many excellent letters between him and Mrs. Astell on the love of God; which, at the request of Mr. Norris, she suffered him to publish in 1695, without her name; a precaution which their merit rendered useless.
She observed and lamented the defects in the education of her sex; which, she said, were the principal causes of their running into so many follies and improprieties.
To remedy so great an evil, she wrote and published, in 1696, an ingenious treatise, entitled, A serious Proposal to the Ladies, for the Advancement of their true and greatest Interest, &c. and, some time after, a second part, under the same title, with this addition; wherein a Method is offered for the Improvement of their Minds. Both these performances were published together in 1696, and had, in some measure, the desired effect. Nay, the scheme in her proposal seemed so rational,
