Lives of the most eminent literary and scientific men of France, Vol. 1 (of 2)

A collection of biographies published in 1838–39. Part of a larger encyclopedia aimed at Britain's self-educating middle class, these volumes profile important French writers and thinkers from the 14th to 18th centuries. Shelley combines historical research with memoir and personal opinion, portraying women sympathetically while arguing for educational and social opportunities. Her work