294 Appendix 1
Chapone, Hester, Mrs. (1727–1801). Self-educated author and public in-
tellectual. She was a member of the bluestocking circle and was well
acquainted with Samuel Johnson, in whose journal, The Rambler, she
published. She was known for her writings on female conduct, and
Wollstonecraft included in her Reader Chapone’s Letters on the Im-
provement of the Mind (1773).
Chesterfi eld, Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of (1694 –1773). English
statesman and diplomat; of special interest to Wollstonecraft for writing
Letters to His Son (1732–1768), in which he gives direction in etiquette
that places special emphasis on social advancement. Wollstonecraft is
quite critical of his writings, and in the Rights of Woman she deems
him a “cold-hearted rascal” for pursuing conquests whose “persons” or
character he had no interest in. Despite this castigation, Wollstonecraft
did use one of his writings on indolence in her Reader.
Cicero, Marcus Tullius (Tully) (106 – 43 BCE). Roman statesman, orator,
lawyer, and philosopher. He devoted his life primarily to politics but
was a prolifi c writer, especially when forced into retirement. His most
famous works include De Oratore (On the Orator), De re Publica (On
the Republic), and De Offi cis (On Duties) to which Wollstonecraft re-
fers in the Rights of Woman. His political writings place emphasis on
the need for the philosopher-statesman to unite oratory and philosophy
in the service of the common good. Cicero is central to the civic repub-
lican tradition and the most notable Roman republican.
Cowley, Abraham (1618 –1667). Poet and scholar, fi rst at Cambridge and
then Oxford. He was known for his precocious poetic contributions. For
example, he wrote the romantic verse “Pyramus and Thisbe” when he
was only ten years old and went on to become a distinguished writer.
He became politically involved during the English Civil War by writing
a satire in support of the Royalists.
Cowper, William (1731–1800). English poet most famous for his poem
“The Task” (1785), to which Wollstonecraft alludes in the Rights of
Woman. She saw him as making serious intellectual contributions be-
side those of Shakespeare and Dr. Johnson, and she included his abo-
litionist poem “On Slavery” in her Reader. He also cowrote the Olney
Hymns with the Evangelical minister John Newton (1725 –1807).
Day, Thomas (1748 –1789). English philanthropist and author. His History
of Sanford and Merton (1783 –1789) utilized Rousseauian ideas about
education. Wollstonecraft noted the importance of this work for moral
education in the Analytical Review.