The Learned Lady in England, 1650-1760

The work surveys the education, social position, and literary and artistic achievements of educated women in England from the mid-seventeenth into the eighteenth century, opening with a preliminary sketch of earlier examples. It groups figures by occupations and modes of expression—actors, artists, authors of poetry, practical manuals, sacred and theological writers, and dramatic contributors—while tracing networks of beneficence and general learning. A substantial section examines institutions and opportunities for female education, including boarding and charity schools and higher instruction. The book concludes with discussions of books about women, satiric portrayals of the educated woman, a concise summary, and a bibliography.