 Fuller was thoroughly conversant with Plato, but by no means his uncritical follower. In some of his writings, Plato was the first feminist. Among the guardians of his ideal Republic a perfect meritocracy prevails and women are included within the public spirit of the polis; they receive the same education as men and have equal opportunity to exercise political power. Elsewhere, however, Plato compromised with and even legitimated the prevailing subjugation of women. Fuller accordingly rendered a mixed verdict on Plato’s philosophy of gender (Fuller 1845: 90; also see Okin 1979: 15–70). Here, as always, she used tradition as a resource without letting herself be imprisoned by it. 