(Mary), the great ornament of her sex and country, was the daughter of—Astell, an opulent merchant at Newcastle upon Tyne, where she was born about the year 1668. She was educated in a manner suitable to her station; and, among other accomplishments, was mistress of the French, and had some knowledge of the Latin tongue. Her uncle, a clergyman, observing in her some marks of a promising genius, took her under his tuition, and taught her mathematics, logic, and philosophy. She left the place of her nativity when she was about 20 years of age, and spent the remaining part of her life at London and at Chelsea. Here she pursued her studies with great assiduity, made great proficiency in the abovementioned sciences, and acquired a more complete knowledge of many classic authors. Among these Seneca, Epictetus, Hierocles, Antoninus, Tully, Plato, and Xenophon, were her principal favourites. Her life was spent in writing for the advancement of learning, religion, and virtue; and in the practice of those religious duties which she so zealously and pathetically recommended to others, and in which perhaps no one was ever more sincere and devout. Her sentiments of piety, charity, humility, and other Christian graces, were uncommonly refined and sublime; and religion sat gracefully upon her, unattended with any forbidding airs of journels or of gloom. Her mind was generally calm and serene; and her conversation was innocently factious, and highly entertaining. She would say, "The good Christian only hath reason, and he always ought, to be cheerful;" and, "That dejected looks and melancholy airs were very unseemly in a Christian." But these subjects she hath treated at large in some of her excellent writings.

She was remarkably abstemious; and seemed to enjoy an uninterrupted state of health till a few years before her death; when, having one of her breasts cut off, it so much impaired her constitution, that she did not long survive it. This painful operation she underwent without discovering the least timidity, or so much as uttering a groan; and showed the same resolution and resignation during her whole illness. When she was confined to her bed by a gradual decay, and the time of her dissolution drew near, she ordered her shroud and coffin to be made and brought to her bedside; and there to remain in her view, as a constant memento of her approaching fate, and to keep her mind fixed on proper contemplation. She died in the year 1731, in the 63rd year of her age, and was buried at Chelsea. She wrote, 1. A Serious Proposal to the Ladies. 2. An Essay in Defence of the Female Sex. 3. Letters concerning the Love of God. 4. Reflections upon Marriage. 5. Moderation truly stated. 6. The Christian Religion, as professed by a Daughter of the Church of England; and some other works.