The books in this collection constitute some of the oldest material from The Women’s Library and LSE, dating from the early 17th century to the mid 19th century. The collection explores how social expectations of women and their perceived roles in society have changed throughout the centuries, featuring perspectives from both female and male authors. The books include academic and philosophical works, such as treatises, essays and recorded lectures, as well as petitions, instructional books, works of fiction, satire and general entertainment.

Personal author: Wortley Montagu, Mary
Full title: Letters of the Right Honourable Lady M--y W---y M---e: Written during her Travels in Europe, Asia and Africa, to Persons of Distinction, Men of Letters, etc., in different parts of Europe.
Publisher: M. Cooper
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Personal author: Alexander, William
Full title: The History of Women, from the Earliest Antiquity, to the Present Time; giving Some Account of almost every Interesting Particular concerning that Sex, among all Nations, Ancient and Modern. Volume 2.
Publisher: C. Dilly and R. Christopher
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Personal author: More, Hannah
Full title: Strictures on the Modern System of Female Education: with a view of the Principles and Conduct Prevalent among Women of Rank and Fortune. Volume 1.
Publisher: T. Cadell Jun. and W. Davies
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Personal author: [Stewarton]
Full title: The Female Revolutionary Plutarch: containing Biographical, Historical, and Revolutionary Sketches, Characters, and Anecdotes. Volume 2.
Comment: Stewarton is a pseudonym.
Publisher: John Murray
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Personal author: Bald, Robert
Full title: A General View of the Coal Trade of Scotland, chiefly that of the River Forth and Mid-Lothian: to which is added, an Inquiry into the Condition of those Women who carry Coals under ground in Scotland, known by the name of Bearers.
Publisher: Oliphant, Waugh, and Innes
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Personal author: [author not identified]
Full title: A Discovery of Six Women Preachers, in Middlesex, Kent, Cambridge and Salisbury: with a Relation of their Names, Manners, Life and Doctrine.
Publisher: [publisher not identified]
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Corporate author: England and Wales. Parliament
Full title: The Mid-wives Just Petition: or, a Complaint of Divers Good Gentlewomen of that Faculty: shewing to the whole Christian World their Just Cause of their Sufferings in these Distracted Times, for their want of Trading: which said Complaint they Tendered to the House on Monday last, being the 23 of Jan. 1643.
Publisher: [publisher not identified]
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Personal author: Astell, Mary
Full title: A Serious Proposal to the Ladies, for the Advancement of their True and Greatest Interest.
Publisher: R. Wilkin
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Personal author: Burney, Frances
Full title: Evelina, or, the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World. Volume 1.
Publisher: T. and W. Lowndes
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Personal author: Burney, Frances
Full title: Evelina, or, the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World. Volume 2.
Publisher: T. and W. Lowndes
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Personal author: Wollstonecraft, Mary
Full title: Posthumous Works of the Author of 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman'. Volume 2: the Wrongs of Woman: or, Maria: a fragment in two volumes.
Publisher: J. Johnson, and G.G. and J. Robinson
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Personal author: Wollstonecraft, Mary
Full title: Posthumous Works of the Author of 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman'. Volume 4: Letters and Miscellaneous pieces, in two volumes.
Publisher: J. Johnson, and G.G. and J. Robinson
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Personal author: [Stewarton]
Full title: The Female Revolutionary Plutarch: containing Biographical, Historical, and Revolutionary Sketches, Characters, and Anecdotes. Volume 3.
Comment: Stewarton is a pseudonym.
Publisher: John Murray
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Personal author: Wolley, Hannah
Full title: The Queen-Like Closet or Rich Cabinet.
Publisher: Richard Lownes
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Personal author: [Sophia]
Full title: Woman not Inferior to Man: or, a Short and Modest Vindication of the Natural Right of the Fair Sex to a Perfect Equality of Power, Dignity, and Esteem with the Men.
Comment: Sophia is a pseudonym.
Publisher: Jacob Robinson
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Personal author: Moxon, Elizabeth
Full title: English Housewifry, exemplified in above Four Hundred and Fifty Receipts: giving Directions in most parts of Cookery.
Publisher: George Copperthwaite
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Personal author: Burney, Frances
Full title: Evelina, or, the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World. Volume 3.
Publisher: T. and W. Lowndes
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Personal author: Trimmer, Sarah
Full title: The Oeconomy of Charity: or, an Address to Ladies concerning Sunday Schools; the Establishment of Schools of Industry under Female Inspection; and the Distribution of Voluntary Benefactions: to which is added an Appendix containing an Account of the Sunday-Schools in Old Brentford.
Publisher: T. Longman, G.G.J., J. Robinson and J. Johnson
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Personal author: Wollstonecraft, Mary
Full title: A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: with Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects.
Publisher: J. Johnson
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Personal author: Wollstonecraft, Mary
Full title: Posthumous Works of the Author of 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman'. Volume 3: Letters and Miscellaneous pieces, in two volumes.
Publisher: J. Johnson, and G.G. and J. Robinson
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Personal author: More, Hannah
Full title: Strictures on the Modern System of Female Education: with a view of the Principles and Conduct Prevalent among Women of Rank and Fortune. Volume 2.
Publisher: T. Cadell Jun. and W. Davies
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Personal author: Thompson, William
Full title: Appeal of one Half of the Human Race, Women, against the Pretensions of the other Half, Men, to Retain them in Political and thence in Civil and Domestic Slavery: in reply to a paragraph of Mr. Mill's celebrated "Article on Government".
Publisher: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green... and Wheatley and Adlard
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Personal author: Swetnam, Joseph
Full title: The Arraignment of Lewd, Idle, Froward, and Unconstant Women: or the Vanitie of them, choose you whether: with a Commendacion of Wise, Vertuous and Honest Women: Pleasant for Married Men, Profitable for Young Men, and Hurtfull to None.
Comment: Reprinted 1807.
Publisher: Thomas Archer
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Personal author: Markham, Gervase
Full title: Countrey Contentments, or the English Huswife: containing the Inward and Outward Vertues which ought to be in a Compleate Woman.
Publisher: R. Jackson
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Personal author: Heywood, Thomas
Full title: Gunaikeion: or, nine bookes of various history concerninge women; Inscribed by the names of the Nine Muses.
Publisher: Adam Islip
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Personal author: [Edgar, Thomas]
Full title: The Lawes Resolutions of Womens Rights: or, the Lawes Provision for Woemen: a Methodicall Collection of such Statutes and Customes, with the Cases, Opinions, Arguments and Points of Learning in the Law, as doe properly concerne Women: Together with a Compendious Table, whereby the Chiefe Matters in this Booke contained, may be more readily Found.
Comment: The signatory of the preliminary epistle signed 'T. E.' is most likely Thomas Edgar.
Publisher: John Grove
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Corporate author: England and Wales. Parliament
Full title: A True Copy of the Petition of the Gentle-women and Trades-men Wives in and about the city of London: Delivered to the Honourable, the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses of the House of Commons assembled in Parliament, Feb. 4, 1641.
Publisher: J. Wright
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