The self-taught scholar Augustine-Clémence Royer started her career as a secondary school teacher, but soon after, she conducted several lectures for women on the topics logic and natural philosophy. Joining the journal Le Noveau Économiste encouraged her to write her thoughts and opinions about society, with special interest on the role of women. She wrote numerous books and articles, and conducted numerous lectures. She was politically active and championed education for women. Among her texts we may mention her regular contributions to the French feminist journal La Fronde.

She translated to French the Charles Darwin’s book On the Origin of Species, and not only she translated it, but she added additional material, including a long preface and footnotes with explanations.  Subsequently, in her book Origine de l’homme et des sociétés she argued her own thoughts and discussed some of Darwin’s arguments.

She was the first woman joining the Société d’anthropologie de Paris and the Société d’économie politique.