Friendship is a serious affection; the most sublime of all affections, because it is founded on principle, and cemented by time.
Wollstonecraft was almost obsessed with the question of morality, and moral rectitude. To her, the issue of moral fiber was more important in determining the worth of a person than anything else. This is why she was opposed to a monarchy that inherited its power rather than earning it, or being voted into it; she felt that the upper classes were often only one step short of debauched, and this led to the unfortunate circumstance of having leaders who were not actually fit to lead, but who could not be removed.
She was a huge exponent of friendship because she believed it was a strength of character. It is based on the coming together of two people with no agenda, or sexual attraction, and nothing that can be bartered or used to one's advantage over another. It is a very selfless thing, and selflessness was one of the qualities that Wollstonecraft felt was sorely lacking in the monarchy. Friendship gets deeper as the years go by until it by far the strongest affection or relationship that a person can have. This ties in with her love of tradition and loyalty.
No man chooses evil because it is evil; he just mistakes it for happiness, the good he seeks.
This is an illuminating statement from the author because it shines a light on her actual feelings about evil and what it entails. She seems not to subscribe to the point of view that true evil is not a choice but inherent in a person; she also seems to see debauchery or lack of morals as an evil. In her mind there evil does not necessarily have to involve committing a heinous act, such as murder. Evil is simply a lack of morality.
She contends that people men don't seek out evil; they merely happen upon it by doing something immoral, because they think it fun or rewarding. Wollstonecraft's prurience often leads her to view the behavior of the upper classes as evil, because they pursue happiness and fun without considering its consequence on their morality.
“Once a wit and always a wit, is an aphorism that has received the sanction of experience; yet I am apt to conclude that the man who with scrupulous anxiety endeavours to support that shining character, can never nourish by reflection any profound, or, if you please, metaphysical passion. Ambition becomes only the tool of vanity, and his reason, the weather-cock of unrestrained feelings, is only employed to varnish over the faults which it ought to have corrected.”
Maria’s main argument is that a man may sparkle with wit in private circle, and only in this circle his sense of humor may be admired. But when it comes to public, and is exposed to society with the goal of displaying one’s wit, it proves only that person’s ambitions reach a level of vanity. In this case, nothing but emotions rule one’s mind, and no common sense decisions can be made. The author supports an idea that only “calm reciprocation of mutual esteem and unimpassioned respect” are the factors, which should be applied in the regulation of social intercourse.
“Sensibility is the manie of the day, and compassion the virtue which is to cover a multitude of vices, whilst justice is left to mourn in sullen silence, and balance truth in vain.”
Maria has used a fashionable French word “manie”, which means “weirdness” or “addiction”. Sensibility is an ability to appraise and provide a response to complex emotional influences, and is a highly appreciated ability of a person, but it is not the one which can be relied on when justice and truth are talked about. Justice, which is revealed through truth, is an item, which can be trusted only to common sense and argumentative reasoning. The author claims that “sensibility is the manie of the day”, which supposes that this “manie” will pass over, and rational argumentation will unearth justice from “sullen silence”.
