Judging from the texts that follow, and others of her works, Mary Wollstonecraft disapproved of many things and a good number of people. She denounced astrology, trivial pursuits, inferior books, especially novels – though she did believe that it was better to read books of this kind than not to read at all – a standing army, monarchical rule, financial speculators, primogeniture, the entry of men into what were traditionally female occupations – like midwifery – the cult of sensibility, the practice of sending infants to be suckled by wet-nurses, pre-arranged marriages, conversations about fashion, and the maltreatment of animals. Some of these, as well as others of her criticisms, such as her condemnation of slavery, are not altogether surprising coming as they do from the pen of an Enlightenment thinker. Others are less predictable. Amongst these are topics which one might not have expected her to address at all, let alone feel strongly about. An instance of this is her finding physical intimacy between girls at boarding school offensive. On the other hand, several of her objections might seem familiar kinds of prejudice. She could not countenance effeminacy in men, for example; and although she might have admitted of some exceptions, she cared very little for Catholics and was suspicious of clergymen, generally speaking. Besides members of royal dynasties, she also spoke ill of aristocrats, courtiers, courtesans, and often also of servants and the French.