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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Memoirs of the Author of a Vindication of the Rights of Woman + +Author: William Godwin + +Release Date: July 4, 2005 [EBook #16199] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEMOIRS OF THE AUTHOR *** + + + + +Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Melissa Er-Raqabi and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. + + + + + + +</pre> + +<hr style="width: 95%;" /> + + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/mary2.jpg" +alt="Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin." +title="Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin." /> +<br /><span class="caption">Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin.</span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h1>MEMOIRS<br /> +<span class="smcap"><small>of the</small></span><br /> +AUTHOR<br /> +<span class="smcap"><small>of a</small></span><br /> +VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN.<br /><br /></h1> + +<h2><span class="smcap">By</span> WILLIAM GODWIN.</h2> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p class="center"><i>LONDON</i>:<br /> +<span class="smcap">printed for j. johnson, no. 72, st. paul's<br /> +church.yard; and g.g. and j. robinson,<br /> +paternoster-row.</span><br /> +1798. +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" summary="Table of Contents"> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAP_I"><b><small>CHAP. I</small></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAP_II"><b><small>CHAP. II</small></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAP_III"><b><small>CHAP. III.</small></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAP_IV"><b><small>CHAP. IV.</small></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAP_V"><b><small>CHAP. V.</small></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAP_VI"><b><small>CHAP. VI.</small></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAP_VII"><b><small>CHAP. VII.</small></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAP_VIII"><b><small>CHAP. VIII.</small></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAP_IX"><b><small>CHAP. IX.</small></b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAP_X"><b><small>CHAP. X.</small></b></a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h1><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1"></a>MEMOIRS.<br /><br /></h1> + + +<h2><a name="CHAP_I" id="CHAP_I"></a>CHAP. I.</h2> + +<h3>1759-1775.</h3> + + +<p>It has always appeared to me, that +to give to the public some account of +the life of a person of eminent merit +deceased, is a duty incumbent on survivors. +It seldom happens that such +a person passes through life, without +being the subject of thoughtless calumny, +or malignant misrepresentation.<a name="Page_2" id="Page_2"></a> +It cannot happen that the public at +large should be on a footing with their +intimate acquaintance, and be the observer +of those virtues which discover +themselves principally in personal intercourse. +Every benefactor of mankind +is more or less influenced by a +liberal passion for fame; and survivors +only pay a debt due to these benefactors, +when they assert and establish on +their part, the honour they loved. The +justice which is thus done to the illustrious +dead, converts into the fairest +source of animation and encouragement +to those who would follow them +in the same carreer. The human +species at large is interested in this +justice, as it teaches them to place +their respect and affection, upon those +qualities which best deserve to be +esteemed and loved. I cannot easily +<a name="Page_3" id="Page_3"></a>prevail on myself to doubt, that the +more fully we are presented with the +picture and story of such persons as +the subject of the following narrative, +the more generally shall we feel in +ourselves an attachment to their fate, +and a sympathy in their excellencies. +There are not many individuals with +whose character the public welfare +and improvement are more intimately +connected, than the author of A Vindication +of the Rights of Woman.</p> + +<p>The facts detailed in the following +pages, are principally taken from the +mouth of the person to whom they +relate; and of the veracity and ingenuousness +of her habits, perhaps no +one that was ever acquainted with her, +entertains a doubt. The writer of this +narrative, when he has met with persons, +that in any degree created to +<a name="Page_4" id="Page_4"></a>themselves an interest and attachment +in his mind, has always felt a curiosity +to be acquainted with the scenes +through which they had passed, and +the incidents that had contributed to +form their understandings and character. +Impelled by this sentiment, he +repeatedly led the conversation of +Mary to topics of this sort; and, once +or twice, he made notes in her presence, +of a few dates calculated to +arrange the circumstances in his mind. +To the materials thus collected, he has +added an industrious enquiry among +the persons most intimately acquainted +with her at the different periods of +her life.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Mary Wollstonecraft was born on +the 27th of April 1759. Her father's +name was Edward John, and the name +<a name="Page_5" id="Page_5"></a>of her mother Elizabeth, of the family +of Dixons of Ballyshannon in the kingdom +of Ireland: her paternal grandfather +was a respectable manufacturer +in Spitalfields, and is supposed to have +left to his son a property of about +10,000l. Three of her brothers and +two sisters are still living; their names, +Edward, James, Charles, Eliza, and +Everina. Of these, Edward only was +older than herself; he resides in London. +James is in Paris, and Charles in +or near Philadelphia in America. Her +sisters have for some years been engaged +in the office of governesses in +private families, and are both at present +in Ireland.</p> + +<p>I am doubtful whether the father of +Mary was bred to any profession; but, +about the time of her birth, he resorted, +rather perhaps as an amusement than +<a name="Page_6" id="Page_6"></a>a business, to the occupation of farming. +He was of a very active, and +somewhat versatile disposition, and so +frequently changed his abode, as to +throw some ambiguity upon the place +of her birth. She told me, that the +doubt in her mind in that respect, lay +between London, and a farm upon +Epping Forest, which was the principal +scene of the five first years of her +life.</p> + +<p>Mary was distinguished in early +youth, by some portion of that exquisite +sensibility, soundness of understanding, +and decision of character, which +were the leading features of her mind +through the whole course of her life. +She experienced in the first period of +her existence, but few of those indulgences +and marks of affection, which +are principally calculated to sooth the +<a name="Page_7" id="Page_7"></a>subjection and sorrows of our early +years. She was not the favourite +either of her father or mother. Her +father was a man of a quick, impetuous +disposition, subject to alternate fits +of kindness and cruelty. In his family +he was a despot, and his wife appears +to have been the first, and most submissive +of his subjects. The mother's +partiality was fixed upon the eldest son, +and her system of government relative +to Mary, was characterized by considerable +rigour. She, at length, became +convinced of her mistake, and adopted +a different plan with her younger +daughters. When, in the Wrongs of +Woman, Mary speaks of "the petty +cares which obscured the morning of +her heroine's life; continual restraint +in the most trivial matters; unconditional +submission to orders, which, as a +<a name="Page_8" id="Page_8"></a>mere child, she soon discovered to be +unreasonable, because inconsistent and +contradictory; and the being often +obliged to sit, in the presence of her +parents, for three or four hours together, +without daring to utter a word;" +she is, I believe, to be considered as +copying the outline of the first period +of her own existence.</p> + +<p>But it was in vain, that the blighting +winds of unkindness or indifference, +seemed destined to counteract the superiority +of Mary's mind. It surmounted +every obstacle; and, by degrees, +from a person little considered +in the family, she became in some sort +its director and umpire. The despotism +of her education cost her many +a heart-ache. She was not formed to +be the contented and unresisting subject +of a despot; but I have heard her +<a name="Page_9" id="Page_9"></a>remark more than once, that, when she +felt she had done wrong, the reproof +or chastisement of her mother, instead +of being a terror to her, she found to +be the only thing capable of reconciling +her to herself. The blows of her father +on the contrary, which were the +mere ebullitions of a passionate temper, +instead of humbling her, roused +her indignation. Upon such occasions +she felt her superiority, and was apt to +betray marks of contempt. The quickness +of her father's temper, led him +sometimes to threaten similar violence +towards his wife. When that was the +case, Mary would often throw herself +between the despot and his victim, +with the purpose to receive upon her +own person the blows that might be +directed against her mother. She has +even laid whole nights upon the <a name="Page_10" id="Page_10"></a>landing-place +near their chamber-door, +when, mistakenly, or with reason, she +apprehended that her father might +break out into paroxysms of violence. +The conduct he held towards the members +of his family, was of the same +kind as that he observed towards animals. +He was for the most part extravagantly +fond of them; but, when he +was displeased, and this frequently +happened, and for very trivial reasons, +his anger was alarming. Mary +was what Dr. Johnson would have +called, "a very good hater." In some +instance of passion exercised by her +father to one of his dogs, she was accustomed +to speak of her emotions of +abhorrence, as having risen to agony. +In a word, her conduct during her +girlish years, was such, as to extort +some portion of affection from her <a name="Page_11" id="Page_11"></a>mother, +and to hold her father in considerable +awe.</p> + +<p>In one respect, the system of education +of the mother appears to have had +merit. All her children were vigorous +and healthy. This seems very +much to depend upon the management +of our infant years. It is affirmed by +some persons of the present day, most +profoundly skilled in the sciences of +health and disease, that there is no +period of human life so little subject to +mortality, as the period of infancy. +Yet, from the mismanagement to +which children are exposed, many of +the diseases of childhood are rendered +fatal, and more persons die in that, than +in any other period of human life. +Mary had projected a work upon this +subject, which she had carefully considered, +and well understood. She has +<a name="Page_12" id="Page_12"></a>indeed left a specimen of her skill in +this respect in her eldest daughter, +three years and a half old, who is a singular +example of vigorous constitution +and florid health. Mr. Anthony Carlisle, +surgeon, of Soho-square, whom +to name is sufficiently to honour, had +promised to revise her production. +This is but one out of numerous projects +of activity and usefulness, which +her untimely death has fatally terminated.</p> + +<p>The rustic situation in which Mary +spent her infancy, no doubt contributed +to confirm the stamina of her constitution. +She sported in the open air, +and amidst the picturesque and refreshing +scenes of nature, for which she +always retained the most exquisite relish. +Dolls and the other amusements +usually appropriated to female <a name="Page_13" id="Page_13"></a>children, +she held in contempt; and felt a +much greater propensity to join in the +active and hardy sports of her brothers, +than to confine herself to those of her +own sex.</p> + +<p>About the time that Mary completed +the fifth year of her age, her father +removed to a small distance from his +former habitation, and took a farm +near the Whalebone upon Epping +Forest, a little way out of the Chelmsford +road. In Michaelmas 1765, he +once more changed his residence, and +occupied a convenient house behind +the town of Barking in Essex, eight +miles from London. In this situation +some of their nearest neighbours were, +Bamber Gascoyne, esquire, successively +member of parliament for several boroughs, +and his brother, Mr. Joseph +Gascoyne. Bamber Gascoyne resided +<a name="Page_14" id="Page_14"></a>but little on this spot; but his brother +was almost a constant inhabitant, and +his family in habits of the most frequent +intercourse with the family of Mary. +Here Mr. Wollstonecraft remained for +three years. In September 1796, I +accompanied my wife in a visit to this +spot. No person reviewed with greater +sensibility, the scenes of her childhood. +We found the house uninhabited, and +the garden in a wild and ruinous state. +She renewed her acquaintance with +the market-place, the streets, and the +wharf, the latter of which we found +crowded with barges, and full of activity.</p> + +<p>In Michaelmas 1768, Mr. Wollstonecraft +again removed to a farm near +Beverley in Yorkshire. Here the family +remained for six years, and consequently, +Mary did not quit this <a name="Page_15" id="Page_15"></a>residence, +till she had attained the age of +fifteen years and five months. The +principal part of her school-education +passed during this period; but it was +not to any advantage of infant literature, +that she was indebted for her +subsequent eminence; her education +in this respect was merely such, as was +afforded by the day-schools of the +place, in which she resided. To her +recollections Beverley appeared a very +handsome town, surrounded by genteel +families, and with a brilliant assembly. +She was surprized, when she visited it +in 1795, upon her voyage to Norway, +to find the reality so very much below +the picture in her imagination.</p> + +<p>Hitherto Mr. Wollstonecraft had +been a farmer; but the restlessness of +his disposition would not suffer him to +content himself with the occupation +<a name="Page_16" id="Page_16"></a>in which for some years he had been +engaged, and the temptation of a commercial +speculation of some sort being +held out to him, he removed to a house +in Queen's-Row, in Hoxton near London, +for the purpose of its execution. +Here he remained for a year and a +half; but, being frustrated in his expectations +of profit, he, after that term, +gave up the project in which he was +engaged, and returned to his former +pursuits. During this residence at +Hoxton, the writer of these memoirs +inhabited, as a student, at the dissenting +college in that place. It is perhaps +a question of curious speculation to +enquire, what would have been the +amount of the difference in the pursuits +and enjoyments of each party, if +they had met, and considered each other +with the same distinguishing regard in<a name="Page_17" id="Page_17"></a> +1776, as they were afterwards impressed +with in the year 1796. The +writer had then completed the twentieth, +and Mary the seventeenth year +of her age. Which would have been +predominant; the disadvantages of +obscurity, and the pressure of a family; +or the gratifications and improvement +that might have flowed from their intercourse?</p> + +<p>One of the acquaintances Mary +formed at this time was with a Mr. +Clare, who inhabited the next house +to that which was tenanted by her +father, and to whom she was probably +in some degree indebted for the +early cultivation of her mind. Mr. +Clare was a clergyman, and appears +to have been a humourist of a very singular +cast. In his person he was deformed +and delicate; and his figure,<a name="Page_18" id="Page_18"></a> +I am told, bore a resemblance to that +of the celebrated Pope. He had a +fondness for poetry, and was not destitute +of taste. His manners were expressive +of a tenderness and benevolence, +the demonstrations of which +appeared to have been somewhat too +artificially cultivated. His habits were +those of a perfect recluse. He seldom +went out of his drawing-room, and he +showed to a friend of Mary a pair of +shoes, which had served him, he said, +for fourteen years. Mary frequently +spent days and weeks together, at the +house of Mr. Clare.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19"></a></p> +<h2><a name="CHAP_II" id="CHAP_II"></a>CHAP. II</h2> + +<h3>1775-1783.</h3> + + +<p>But a connection more memorable +originated about this time, between +Mary and a person of her own sex, for +whom she contracted a friendship so +fervent, as for years to have constituted +the ruling passion of her mind. The +name of this person was Frances +Blood; she was two years older than +Mary. Her residence was at that time +at Newington Butts, a village near the +<a name="Page_20" id="Page_20"></a>southern extremity of the metropolis; +and the original instrument for bringing +these two friends acquainted, was Mrs. +Clare, wife of the gentleman already +mentioned, who was on a footing of +considerable intimacy with both parties. +The acquaintance of Fanny, like +that of Mr. Clare, contributed to ripen +the immature talents of Mary.</p> + +<p>The situation in which Mary was +introduced to her, bore a resemblance +to the first interview of Werter with +Charlotte. She was conducted to the +door of a small house, but furnished +with peculiar neatness and propriety. +The first object that caught her sight, +was a young woman of a slender and +elegant form, and eighteen years of +age, busily employed in feeding and +managing some children, born of the +same parents, but considerably inferior +<a name="Page_21" id="Page_21"></a>to her in age. The impression Mary +received from this spectacle was indelible; +and, before the interview was +concluded, she had taken, in her heart, +the vows of an eternal friendship.</p> + +<p>Fanny was a young woman of extraordinary +accomplishments. She sung +and played with taste. She drew with +exquisite fidelity and neatness; and, by +the employment of this talent, for some +time maintained her father, mother, +and family, but ultimately ruined her +health by her extraordinary exertions. +She read and wrote with considerable +application; and the same ideas +of minute and delicate propriety followed +her in these, as in her other +occupations.</p> + +<p>Mary, a wild, but animated and +aspiring girl of sixteen, contemplated +Fanny, in the first instance, with <a name="Page_22" id="Page_22"></a>sentiments +of inferiority and reverence. +Though they were much together, yet, +the distance of their habitation being +considerable, they supplied the want of +mere frequent interviews by an assiduous +correspondence. Mary found +Fanny's letters better spelt and better +indited than her own, and felt herself +abashed. She had hitherto paid but a +superficial attention to literature. She +had read, to gratify the ardour of an +inextinguishable thirst of knowledge; +but she had not thought of writing as +an art. Her ambition to excel was +now awakened, and she applied herself +with passion and earnestness. Fanny +undertook to be her instructor; and, so +far as related to accuracy and method, +her lessons were given with considerable +skill.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23"></a>It has already been mentioned that, +in the spring of the year 1776, Mr. +Wollstonecraft quitted his situation at +Hoxton, and returned to his former +agricultural pursuits. The situation +upon which he now fixed was in +Wales, a circumstance that was felt as +a severe blow to Mary's darling spirit +of friendship. The principal acquaintance +of the Wollstonecrafts in this retirement, +was the family of a Mr. +Allen, two of whose daughters are +since married to the two elder sons of +the celebrated English potter, Josiah +Wedgwood.</p> + +<p>Wales however was Mr. Wollstonecraft's +residence for little more than a +year. He returned to the neighbourhood +of London; and Mary, whose +spirit of independence was unalterable, +had influence enough to determine his +<a name="Page_24" id="Page_24"></a>choice in favour of the village of Walworth, +that she might be near her +chosen friend. It was probably before +this, that she has once or twice started +the idea of quitting her parental roof, +and providing for herself. But she +was prevailed upon to resign this idea, +and conditions were stipulated with +her, relative to her having an apartment +in the house that should be exclusively +her own, and her commanding +the other requisites of study. She did +not however think herself fairly treated +in these instances, and either the conditions +abovementioned, or some others, +were not observed in the sequel, with +the fidelity she expected. In one case, +she had procured an eligible situation, +and every thing was settled respecting +her removal to it, when the intreaties +and tears of her mother led her to <a name="Page_25" id="Page_25"></a>surrender +her own inclinations, and abandon +the engagement.</p> + +<p>These however were only temporary +delays. Her propensities continued +the same, and the motives by which +she was instigated were unabated. In +the year 1778, she being nineteen +years of age, a proposal was made to +her of living as a companion with a +Mrs. Dawson of Bath, a widow lady, +with one son already adult. Upon enquiry +she found that Mrs. Dawson was +a woman of great peculiarity of temper, +that she had had a variety of companions +in succession, and that no one +had found it practicable to continue +with her. Mary was not discouraged +by this information, and accepted the +situation, with a resolution that she +would effect in this respect, what none +of her predecessors had been able to +<a name="Page_26" id="Page_26"></a>do. In the sequel she had reason to +consider the account she had received +as sufficiently accurate, but she did not +relax in her endeavours. By method, +constancy and firmness, she found the +means of making her situation tolerable; +and Mrs. Dawson would occasionally +confess, that Mary was the only +person that had lived with her in that +situation, in her treatment of whom she +had felt herself under any restraint.</p> + +<p>With Mrs. Dawson she continued to +reside for two years, and only left her, +summoned by the melancholy circumstance of +her mother's rapidly declining +health. True to the calls of humanity, +Mary felt in this intelligence an irresistible +motive, and eagerly returned to +the paternal roof, which she had before +resolutely quitted. The residence of +her father at this time, was at Enfield +<a name="Page_27" id="Page_27"></a>near London. He had, I believe, +given up agriculture from the time of +his quitting Wales, it appearing that +he now made it less a source of profit +than loss, and being thought advisable +that he should rather live upon the +interest of his property already in +possession.</p> + +<p>The illness of Mrs. Wollstonecraft +was lingering, but hopeless. Mary +was assiduous in her attendance upon +her mother. At first, every attention +was received with acknowledgments +and gratitude; but, as the attentions +grew habitual, and the health of the +mother more and more wretched, they +were rather exacted, than received. +Nothing would be taken by the unfortunate +patient, but from the hands of +Mary; rest was denied night or day, +and by the time nature was exhausted +<a name="Page_28" id="Page_28"></a>in the parent, the daughter was qualified +to assume her place, and become in +turn herself a patient. The last words +her mother ever uttered were, "A +little patience, and all will be over!" +and these words are repeatedly referred +to by Mary in the course of her +writings.</p> + +<p>Upon the death of Mrs. Wollstonecraft, +Mary bid a final adieu to the +roof of her father. According to my +memorandums, I find her next the inmate +of Fanny at Walham Green, near +the village of Fulham. Upon what +plan they now lived together I am unable +to ascertain; certainly not that of +Mary's becoming in any degree an additional +burthen upon the industry of +her friend. Thus situated, their intimacy +ripened; they approached more +nearly to a footing of equality; and +<a name="Page_29" id="Page_29"></a>their attachment became more rooted +and active.</p> + +<p>Mary was ever ready at the call of +distress, and, in particular, during her +whole life was eager and active to promote +the welfare of every member of +her family. In 1780 she attended the +death-bed of her mother; in 1782 she +was summoned by a not less melancholy +occasion, to attend her sister +Eliza, married to a Mr. Bishop, who, +subsequently to a dangerous lying-in, +remained for some months in a very afflicting +situation. Mary continued with +her sister without intermission, to her +perfect recovery.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30"></a></p> +<h2><a name="CHAP_III" id="CHAP_III"></a>CHAP. III.</h2> + +<h3>1783-1785.</h3> + + +<p>Mary was now arrived at the twenty-fourth +year of her age. Her project, +five years before, had been personal +independence; it was now usefulness. +In the solitude of attendance on her +sister's illness, and during the subsequent +convalescence, she had had leisure +to ruminate upon purposes of this +sort. Her expanded mind led her to +seek something more arduous than the +mere removal of personal vexations; +<a name="Page_31" id="Page_31"></a>and the sensibility of her heart would +not suffer her to rest in solitary gratifications. +The derangement of her father's +affairs daily became more and +more glaring; and a small independent +provision made for herself and her +sisters, appears to have been sacrificed +in the wreck. For ten years, from 1782 +to 1792, she may be said to have been, +in a great degree, the victim of a desire +to promote the benefit of others. She +did not foresee the severe disappointment +with which an exclusive purpose +of this sort is pregnant; she was inexperienced +enough to lay a stress upon +the consequent gratitude of those she +benefited; and she did not sufficiently +consider that, in proportion as we +involve ourselves in the interests and +society of others, we acquire a more +exquisite sense of their defects, and are +<a name="Page_32" id="Page_32"></a>tormented with their untractableness +and folly.</p> + +<p>The project upon which she now +determined, was no other than that +of a day-school, to be superintended by +Fanny Blood, herself, and her two +sisters.</p> + +<p>They accordingly opened one in the +year 1783, at the village of Islington; +but in the course of a few months removed +it to Newington Green. Here +Mary formed some acquaintances who +influenced the future events of her life. +The first of these in her own estimation, +was Dr. Richard Price, well known for +his political and mathematical calculations, +and universally esteemed by +those who knew him, for the simplicity +of his manners, and the ardour of his +benevolence. The regard conceived +by these two persons for each other, +<a name="Page_33" id="Page_33"></a>was mutual, and partook of a spirit of +the purest attachment. Mary had been +bred in the principles of the church of +England, but her esteem for this venerable +preacher led her occasionally to +attend upon his public instructions. +Her religion was, in reality, little allied +to any system of forms; and, as she has +often told me, was founded rather in +taste, than in the niceties of polemical +discussion. Her mind constitutionally +attached itself to the sublime and the +amiable. She found an inexpressible +delight in the beauties of nature, and +in the splendid reveries of the imagination. +But nature itself, she thought, +would be no better than a vast blank, +if the mind of the observer did not +supply it with an animating soul. When +she walked amidst the wonders of +nature, she was accustomed to converse +<a name="Page_34" id="Page_34"></a>with her God. To her mind he was +pictured as not less amiable, generous +and kind, than great, wise and exalted. +In fact, she had received few lessons of +religion in her youth, and her religion +was almost entirely of her own creation. +But she was not on that account +the less attached to it, or the less scrupulous +in discharging what she considered +as its duties. She could not +recollect the time when she had believed +the doctrine of future punishments. +The tenets of her system +were the growth of her own moral +taste, and her religion therefore had +always been a gratification, never a +terror, to her. She expected a future +state; but she would not allow her ideas +of that future state to be modified by +the notions of judgment and retribution. +From this sketch, it is <a name="Page_35" id="Page_35"></a>sufficiently +evident, that the pleasure she +took in an occasional attendance upon +the sermons of Dr. Price, was not accompanied +with a superstitious adherence +to his doctrines. The fact is, +that, as far down as the year 1787, she +regularly frequented public worship, +for the most part according to the +forms of the church of England. After +that period her attendance became less +constant, and in no long time was +wholly discontinued. I believe it may +be admitted as a maxim, that no person +of a well furnished mind, that has +shaken off the implicit subsection of +youth, and is not the zealous partizan +of a sect, can bring himself to conform +to the public and regular routine of +sermons and prayers.</p> + +<p>Another of the friends she acquired +at this period, was Mrs. Burgh, widow +<a name="Page_36" id="Page_36"></a>of the author of the Political Disquisitions, +a woman universally well spoken +of for the warmth and purity of her +benevolence. Mary, whenever she had +occasion to allude to her, to the last +period of her life, paid the tribute due +to her virtues. The only remaining +friend necessary to be enumerated in +this place, is the rev. John Hewlet, +now master of a boarding-school at +Shacklewel near Hackney, whom I +shall have occasion to mention hereafter.</p> + +<p>I have already said that Fanny's +health had been materially injured by +her incessant labours for the maintenance +of her family. She had also suffered +a disappointment, which preyed +upon her mind. To these different +sources of ill health she became gradually +a victim; and at length discovered +<a name="Page_37" id="Page_37"></a>all the symptoms of a pulmonary consumption. +By the medical men that +attended her, she was advised to try the +effects of a southern climate; and, +about the beginning of the year 1785, +sailed for Lisbon.</p> + +<p>The first feeling with which Mary +had contemplated her friend, was a +sentiment of inferiority and reverence; +but that, from the operation of a ten +years' acquaintance, was considerably +changed. Fanny had originally been +far before her in literary attainments; +this disparity no longer existed. In +whatever degree Mary might endeavour +to free herself from the delusions +of self-esteem, this period of observation +upon her own mind and that of +her friend, could not pass, without her +perceiving that there were some essential +characteristics of genius, which she +<a name="Page_38" id="Page_38"></a>possessed, and in which her friend was +deficient. The principal of these was +a firmness of mind, an unconquerable +greatness of soul, by which, after a +short internal struggle, she was accustomed +to rise above difficulties and +suffering. Whatever Mary undertook, +she perhaps in all instances accomplished; +and, to her lofty spirit, scarcely +anything she desired, appeared hard to +perform. Fanny, on the contrary, was +a woman of a timid and irresolute nature, +accustomed to yield to difficulties, +and probably priding herself in this +morbid softness of her temper. One +instance that I have heard Mary relate +of this sort, was, that, at a certain time, +Fanny, dissatisfied with her domestic +situation, expressed an earnest desire to +have a home of her own. Mary, who +felt nothing more pressing than to <a name="Page_39" id="Page_39"></a>relieve +the inconveniences of her friend, +determined to accomplish this object +for her. It cost her infinite exertions; +but at length she was able to announce +to Fanny that a house was prepared, +and that she was on the spot to receive +her. The answer which Fanny returned +to the letter of her friend, consisted +almost wholly of an enumeration +of objections to the quitting her family, +which she had not thought of before, +but which now appeared to her of considerable +weight.</p> + +<p>The judgment which experience had +taught Mary to form of the mind of +her friend, determined her in the advice +she gave, at the period to which I have +brought down the story. Fanny was +recommended to seek a softer climate, +but she had no funds to defray the expence +of such an undertaking. At this +<a name="Page_40" id="Page_40"></a>time Mr. Hugh Skeys of Dublin, but +then resident in the kingdom of Portugal, +paid his addresses to her. The +state of her health Mary considered as +such as scarcely to afford the shadow of +a hope; it was not therefore a time at +which it was most obvious to think of +marriage. She conceived however that +nothing should be omitted, which +might alleviate, if it could not cure; +and accordingly urged her speedy acceptance +of the proposal. Fanny accordingly +made the voyage to Lisbon; +and the marriage took place on the +twenty-fourth of February 1785.</p> + +<p>The change of climate and situation +was productive of little benefit; and the +life of Fanny was only prolonged by a +period of pregnancy, which soon declared +itself. Mary, in the mean time, +was impressed with the idea that her +<a name="Page_41" id="Page_41"></a>friend would die in this distant country; +and, shocked with the recollection of +her separation from the circle of her +friends, determined to pass over to +Lisbon to attend her. This resolution +was treated by her acquaintance as in +the utmost degree visionary; but she +was not to be diverted from her point. +She had not money to defray her expences: +she must quit for a long time +the school, the very existence of which +probably depended upon her exertions.</p> + +<p>No person was ever better formed +for the business of education; if it be +not a sort of absurdity to speak of a +person as formed for an inferior object, +who is in possession of talents, in the +fullest degree adequate to something +on a more important and comprehensive +scale. Mary had a quickness of <a name="Page_42" id="Page_42"></a>temper, +not apt to take offence with inadvertencies, +but which led her to imagine +that she saw the mind of the +person with whom she had any transaction, +and to refer the principle of +her approbation or displeasure to the +cordiality or injustice of their sentiments. +She was occasionally severe +and imperious in her resentments; and, +when she strongly disapproved, was +apt to express her censure in terms +that gave a very humiliating sensation +to the person against whom it was directed. +Her displeasure however never +assumed its severest form, but when it +was barbed by disappointment. Where +she expected little, she was not very +rigid in her censure of error.</p> + +<p>But, to whatever the defects of her +temper might amount, they were never +exercised upon her inferiors in station +<a name="Page_43" id="Page_43"></a>or age. She scorned to make use of an +ungenerous advantage, or to wound the +defenceless. To her servants there +never was a mistress more considerate +or more kind. With children she +was the mirror of patience. Perhaps, +in all her extensive experience upon +the subject of education, she never betrayed +one symptom of irascibility. Her +heart was the seat of every benevolent +feeling; and accordingly, in all her +intercourse with children, it was kindness +and sympathy alone that prompted +her conduct. Sympathy, when it +mounts to a certain height, inevitably +begets affection in the person towards +whom it is exercised; and I have heard +her say, that she never was concerned +in the education of one child, who was +not personally attached to her, and +earnestly concerned, not to incur her +<a name="Page_44" id="Page_44"></a>displeasure. Another eminent advantage +she possessed in the business of +education, was that she was little troubled +with scepticism and uncertainty. +She saw, as it were by intuition, the +path which her mind determined to +pursue, and had a firm confidence in +her own power to effect what she desired. +Yet, with all this, she had +scarcely a tincture of obstinacy. She +carefully watched symptoms as they +rose, and the success of her experiments; +and governed herself accordingly. +While I thus enumerate her +more than maternal qualities, it is impossible +not to feel a pang at the recollection +of her orphan children!</p> + +<p>Though her friends earnestly dissuaded +her from the journey to Lisbon, +she found among them a <a name="Page_45" id="Page_45"></a>willingness +facilitate the execution of her +project, when it was once fixed. Mrs. +Burgh in particular, supplied her with +money, which however she always conceived +came from Dr. Price. This +loan, I have reason to believe, was +faithfully repaid.</p> + +<p>It was during her residence at Newington +Green, that she was introduced +to the acquaintance of Dr. Johnson, +who was at that time considered as in +some sort the father of English literature. +The doctor treated her with +particular kindness and attention, had +a long conversation with her, and desired +her to repeat her visit often. This +she firmly purposed to do; but the +news of his last illness, and then of his +death, intervened to prevent her making +a second visit.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46"></a>Her residence in Lisbon was not +long. She arrived but a short time +before her friend was prematurely delivered, +and the event was fatal to +both mother and child. Frances Blood, +hitherto the chosen object of Mary's +attachment, died on the twenty-ninth +of November 1785.</p> + +<p>It is thus that she speaks of her in her +Letters from Norway, written ten years +after her decease. "When a warm heart +has received strong impressions, they are +not to be effaced. Emotions become +sentiments; and the imagination renders +even transient sensations permanent, +by fondly retracing them. I +cannot, without a thrill of delight, recollect +views I have seen, which are +not to be forgotten, nor looks I have +felt in every nerve, which I shall never +<a name="Page_47" id="Page_47"></a>more meet. The grave has closed over +a dear friend, the friend of my youth; +still she is present with me, and I hear +her soft voice warbling as I stray over +the heath."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48"></a></p> +<h2><a name="CHAP_IV" id="CHAP_IV"></a>CHAP. IV.</h2> + +<h3>1785-1787.</h3> + + +<p>No doubt the voyage to Lisbon +tended considerably to enlarge the +understanding of Mary. She was admitted +into the best company the +English factory afforded. She made +many profound observations on the +character of the natives, and the baleful +effects of superstition. The obsequies +of Fanny, which it was necessary +to perform by stealth and in <a name="Page_49" id="Page_49"></a>darkness, +tended to invigorate these observations +in her mind.</p> + +<p>She sailed upon her voyage home +about the twentieth of December. +On this occasion a circumstance +occurred, that deserves to be recorded. +While they were on their passage, +they fell in with a French vessel, +in great distress, and in daily expectation +of foundering at sea, at the +same time that it was almost destitute +of provisions. The Frenchman hailed +them, and intreated the English captain, +in consideration of his melancholy +situation, to take him and his crew on +board. The Englishman represented +in reply, that his stock of provisions +was by no means adequate to such an +additional number of mouths, and absolutely +refused compliance. Mary, +shocked at his apparent insensibility, +took up the cause of the sufferers, and +<a name="Page_50" id="Page_50"></a>threatened the captain to have him +called to a severe account, when he +arrived in England. She finally prevailed, +and had the satisfaction to reflect, +that the persons in question +possibly owed their lives to her interposition.</p> + +<p>When she arrived in England, she +found that her school had suffered considerably +in her absence. It can be +little reproach to any one, to say that +they were found incapable of supplying +her place. She not only excelled in +the management of the children, but +had also the talent of being attentive +and obliging to the parents, without +degrading herself.</p> + +<p>The period at which I am now arrived +is important, as conducting to +the first step of her literary carreer. +Mr. Hewlet had frequently mentioned +<a name="Page_51" id="Page_51"></a>literature to Mary as a certain source +of pecuniary produce, and had urged +her to make trial of the truth of his +judgment. At this time she was desirous +of assisting the father and mother +of Fanny in an object they had in view, +the transporting themselves to Ireland; +and, as usual, what she desired in a +pecuniary view, she was ready to take +on herself to effect. For this purpose +she wrote a duodecimo pamphlet of +one hundred and sixty pages, entitled, +Thoughts on the Education of Daughters. +Mr. Hewlet obtained from the +bookseller, Mr. Johnson in St. Paul's +Church Yard, ten guineas for the +copy-right of this manuscript, which +she immediately applied to the object +for the sake of which the pamphlet +was written.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52"></a>Every thing urged Mary to put an +end to the affair of the school. She +was dissatisfied with the different appearance +it presented upon her return, +from the state in which she left it. +Experience impressed upon her a +rooted aversion to that sort of cohabitation +with her sisters, which the project +of the school imposed. Cohabitation +is a point of delicate experiment, +and is, in a majority of instances, +pregnant with ill-humour and unhappiness. +The activity and ardent spirit +of adventure which characterized +Mary, were not felt in an equal degree +by her sisters, so that a disproportionate +share of every burthen attendant upon +the situation, fell to her lot. On the +other hand, they could scarcely perhaps +be perfectly easy, in observing the +superior degree of deference and <a name="Page_53" id="Page_53"></a>courtship, +which her merit extorted from +almost every one that knew her. Her +kindness for them was not diminished, +but she resolved that the mode of its +exertion in future should be different, +tending to their benefit, without intrenching +upon her own liberty.</p> + +<p>Thus circumstanced, a proposal was +made her, such as, regarding only the +situations through which she had +lately passed, is usually termed advantageous. +This was, to accept the office +of governess to the daughters of lord +viscount Kingsborough, eldest son to +the earl of Kingston of the kingdom of +Ireland. The terms held out to her +were such as she determined to accept, +at the same time resolving to retain the +situation only for a short time. Independence +was the object after which +she thirsted, and she was fixed to try +<a name="Page_54" id="Page_54"></a>whether it might not be found in literary +occupation. She was desirous +however first to accumulate a small +sum of money, which should enable her +to consider at leisure the different literary +engagements that might offer, and +provide in some degree for the eventual +deficiency of her earliest attempts.</p> + +<p>The situation in the family of lord +Kingsborough, was offered to her +through the medium of the rev. Mr. +Prior, at that time one of the under +masters of Eton school. She spent +some time at the house of this gentleman, +immediately after her giving up +the school at Newington Green. Here +she had an opportunity of making an +accurate observation upon the manners +and conduct of that celebrated +seminary, and the ideas she retained of +it were by no means favourable. By +<a name="Page_55" id="Page_55"></a>all that she saw, she was confirmed in a +very favourite opinion of her's, in behalf +of day-schools, where, as she expressed +it, "children have the opportunity +of conversing with children, without +interfering with domestic affections, the +foundation of virtue."</p> + +<p>Though her residence in the family +of lord Kingsborough continued scarcely +more than twelve months, she left behind +her, with them and their connections, +a very advantageous impression. +The governesses the young ladies had +hitherto had, were only a species of +upper servants, controlled in every +thing by the mother; Mary insisted +upon the unbounded exercise of her +own discretion. When the young +ladies heard of their governess coming +from England, they heard in imagination +of a new enemy, and declared +<a name="Page_56" id="Page_56"></a>their resolution to guard themselves +accordingly. Mary however speedily +succeeded in gaining their confidence, +and the friendship that soon grew up +between her and Margaret King, now +countess Mount Cashel, the eldest +daughter, was in an uncommon degree +cordial and affectionate. Mary always +spoke of this young lady in terms of +the truest applause, both in relation to +the eminence of her intellectual powers, +and the ingenuous amiableness of +her disposition. Lady Kingsborough, +from the best motives, had imposed +upon her daughters a variety of prohibitions, +both as to the books they +should read, and in many other respects. +These prohibitions had their usual effects; +inordinate desire for the things +forbidden, and clandestine indulgence. +Mary immediately restored the <a name="Page_57" id="Page_57"></a>children +to their liberty, and undertook to +govern them by their affections only. +The consequence was, that their indulgences +were moderate, and they were +uneasy under any indulgence that had +not the sanction of their governess. +The salutary effects of the new system +of education were speedily visible; and +lady Kingsborough soon felt no other +uneasiness, than lest the children +should love their governess better than +their mother.</p> + +<p>Mary made many friends in Ireland, +among the persons who visited lord +Kingsborough's house, for she always +appeared there with the air of an +equal, and not of a dependent. I have +heard her mention the ludicrous distress +of a woman of quality, whose +name I have forgotten, that, in a large +company, singled out Mary, and <a name="Page_58" id="Page_58"></a>entered +into a long conversation with +her. After the conversation was over, +she enquired whom she had been talking +with, and found, to her utter mortification +and dismay, that it was Miss +King's governess.</p> + +<p>One of the persons among her Irish +acquaintance, whom Mary was accustomed +to speak of with the highest +respect, was Mr. George Ogle, member +of parliament for the county of Wexford. +She held his talents in very +high estimation; she was strongly prepossessed +in favour of the goodness of +his heart; and she always spoke of him +as the most perfect gentleman she had +ever known. She felt the regret of a +disappointed friend, at the part he has +lately taken in the politics of Ireland.</p> + +<p>Lord Kingsborough's family passed +the summer of the year 1787 at Bristol<a name="Page_59" id="Page_59"></a> +Hot-Wells, and had formed the project +of proceeding from thence to the continent, +a tour in which Mary purposed +to accompany them. The plan however +was ultimately given up, and +Mary in consequence closed her connection +with them, earlier than she +otherwise had purposed to do.</p> + +<p>At Bristol Hot-Wells she composed +the little book which bears the title of +Mary, a Fiction. A considerable part +of this story consists, with certain modifications, +of the incidents of her own +friendship with Fanny. All the events +that do not relate to that subject are +fictitious.</p> + +<p>This little work, if Mary had never +produced any thing else, would serve, +with persons of true taste and sensibility, +to establish the eminence of her +genius. The story is nothing. He +<a name="Page_60" id="Page_60"></a>that looks into the book only for incident, +will probably lay it down with +disgust. But the feelings are of the +truest and most exquisite class; every +circumstance is adorned with that +species of imagination, which enlists +itself under the banners of delicacy and +sentiment. A work of sentiment, as +it is called, is too often another name +for a work of affectation. He that +should imagine that the sentiments of +this book are affected, would indeed +be entitled to our profoundest commiseration.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61"></a></p> +<h2><a name="CHAP_V" id="CHAP_V"></a>CHAP. V.</h2> + +<h3>1787-1790.</h3> + + +<p>Being now determined to enter +upon her literary plan, Mary came +immediately from Bristol to the metropolis. +Her conduct under this circumstance +was such as to do credit both to +her own heart, and that of Mr. Johnson, +her publisher, between whom and +herself there now commenced an intimate +friendship. She had seen him +<a name="Page_62" id="Page_62"></a>upon occasion of publishing her +Thoughts on the Education of +Daughters, and she addressed two or +three letters to him during her residence +in Ireland. Upon her arrival in +London in August 1787, she went immediately +to his house, and frankly +explained to him her purpose, at the +same time requesting his advice and +assistance as to its execution. After a +short conversation, Mr. Johnson invited +her to make his house her home, till +she should have suited herself with a +fixed residence. She accordingly resided +at this time two or three weeks +under his roof. At the same period +she paid a visit or two of similar duration +to some friends, at no great distance +from the metropolis.</p> + +<p>At Michaelmas 1787, she entered +upon a house in George street, on the<a name="Page_63" id="Page_63"></a> +Surry side of Black Friar's Bridge, +which Mr. Johnson had provided for her +during her excursion into the country. +The three years immediately ensuing, +may be said, in the ordinary acceptation +of the term, to have been the +most active period of her life. She +brought with her to this habitation, the +novel of Mary, which had not yet been +sent to the press, and the commencement +of a sort of oriental tale, entitled, +the Cave of Fancy, which she thought +proper afterwards to lay aside unfinished. +I am told that at this period she +appeared under great dejection of spirits, +and filled with melancholy regret +for the loss of her youthful friend. A +period of two years had elapsed since +the death of that friend; but it was +possibly the composition of the fiction +of Mary, that renewed her sorrows in +<a name="Page_64" id="Page_64"></a>their original force. Soon after entering +upon her new habitation, she produced +a little work, entitled, Original +Stories from Real Life, intended for +the use of children. At the commencement +of her literary carreer, she is said +to have conceived a vehement aversion +to the being regarded, by her ordinary +acquaintance, in the character of an +author, and to have employed some +precautions to prevent its occurrence.</p> + +<p>The employment which the bookseller +suggested to her, as the easiest +and most certain source of pecuniary +income, of course, was translation. +With this view she improved herself in +her French, with which she had previously +but a slight acquaintance, and acquired +the Italian and German languages. +The greater part of her literary +engagements at this time, were +<a name="Page_65" id="Page_65"></a>such as were presented to her by Mr. +Johnson. She new-modelled and +abridged a work, translated from the +Dutch, entitled, Young Grandison: +she began a translation from the French, +of a book, called, the New Robinson; +but in this undertaking, she was, I +believe, anticipated by another translator: +and she compiled a series of extracts +in verse and prose, upon the +model of Dr. Enfield's Speaker, which +bears the title of the Female Reader; +but which, from a cause not worth +mentioning, has hitherto been printed +with a different name in the title-page.</p> + +<p>About the middle of the year 1788, +Mr. Johnson instituted the Analytical +Review, in which Mary took a considerable +share. She also translated Necker +on the Importance of Religious Opinions; +made an abridgment of Lavater's<a name="Page_66" id="Page_66"></a> +Physiognomy, from the French, which +has never been published; and compressed +Salzmann's Elements of Morality, +a German production, into a publication +in three volumes duodecimo. +The translation of Salzmann produced +a correspondence between Mary and +the author; and he afterwards repaid +the obligation to her in kind, by a +German translation of the Rights of +Woman. Such were her principal literary +occupations, from the autumn +of 1787, to the autumn of 1790.</p> + +<p>It perhaps deserves to be remarked +that this sort of miscellaneous literary +employment, seems, for the time at +least, rather to damp and contract, +than to enlarge and invigorate, the +genius. The writer is accustomed to +see his performances answer the mere +mercantile purpose of the day, and +<a name="Page_67" id="Page_67"></a>confounded with those of persons to +whom he is secretly conscious of a +superiority. No neighbour mind serves +as a mirror to reflect the generous +confidence he felt within himself; +and perhaps the man never yet existed, +who could maintain his enthusiasm to +its full vigour, in the midst of this kind +of solitariness. He is touched with +the torpedo of mediocrity. I believe +that nothing which Mary produced +during this period, is marked with +those daring flights, which exhibit +themselves in the little fiction she composed +just before its commencement. +Among effusions of a nobler cast, I find +occasionally interspersed some of that +homily-language, which, to speak from +my own feelings, is calculated to damp +the moral courage, it was intended to +<a name="Page_68" id="Page_68"></a>awaken. This is probably to be assigned +to the causes above described.</p> + +<p>I have already said that one of the +purposes which Mary had conceived, +a few years before, as necessary to give +a relish to the otherwise insipid, or embittered, +draught of human life, was +usefulness. On this side, the period of +her existence of which I am now treating, +is more brilliant, than in a literary +view. She determined to apply as +great a part as possible of the produce +of her present employments, to the assistance +of her friends and of the distressed; +and, for this purpose, laid +down to herself rules of the most rigid +economy. She began with endeavouring +to promote the interest of her sisters. +She conceived that there was no +situation in which she could place +them, at once so respectable and <a name="Page_69" id="Page_69"></a>agreeable, +as that of governess in private +families. She determined therefore in +the first place, to endeavour to qualify +them for such an undertaking. Her +younger sister she sent to Paris, where +she remained near two years. The +elder she placed in a school near London, +first as a parlour-boarder, and afterwards +as a teacher. Her brother +James, who had already been at sea, +she first took into her house, and next +sent to Woolwich for instruction, to +qualify him for a respectable situation +in the royal navy, where he was shortly +after made a lieutenant. Charles, +who was her favourite brother, had +been articled to the eldest, an attorney +in the Minories; but, not being satisfied +with his situation, she removed +him; and in some time after, having +first placed him with a farmer for <a name="Page_70" id="Page_70"></a>instruction, +she fitted him out for America, +where his speculations, founded +upon the basis she had provided, are +said to have been extremely prosperous. +The reason so much of this parental +sort of care fell upon her, was, +that her father had by this time considerably +embarrassed his circumstances. +His affairs having grown too complex +for himself to disentangle, he had intrusted +them to the management of a +near relation; but Mary, not being +satisfied with the conduct of the business, +took them into her own hands. +The exertions she made, and the struggle +into which she entered however, +in this instance, were ultimately fruitless. +To the day of her death her father +was almost wholly supported by +funds which she supplied to him. In +addition to her exertions for her own +<a name="Page_71" id="Page_71"></a>family, she took a young girl of about +seven years of age under her protection +and care, the niece of Mrs. John +Hunter, and of the present Mrs. Skeys, +for whose mother, then lately dead, +she had entertained a sincere friendship.</p> + +<p>The period, from the end of the +year 1787 to the end of the year +1790, though consumed in labours of +little eclat, served still further to +establish her in a friendly connection +from which she derived many +pleasures. Mr. Johnson, the bookseller, +contracted a great personal regard for +her, which resembled in many respects +that of a parent. As she frequented +his house, she of course became acquainted +with his guests. Among +these may be mentioned as persons +possessing her esteem, Mr. Bonnycastle, +<a name="Page_72" id="Page_72"></a>the mathematician, the late Mr. +George Anderson, accountant to the +board of control, Dr. George Fordyce, +and Mr. Fuseli, the celebrated painter. +Between both of the two latter and +herself, there existed sentiments of genuine +affection and friendship.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73"></a></p> +<h2><a name="CHAP_VI" id="CHAP_VI"></a>CHAP. VI.</h2> + +<h3>1790-1792.</h3> + + +<p>Hitherto the literary carreer of +Mary, had for the most part, been silent; +and had been productive of income to +herself, without apparently leading to +the wreath of fame. From this time +she was destined to attract the notice +of the public, and perhaps no female +writer ever obtained so great a degree +of celebrity throughout Europe.</p> + +<p>It cannot be doubted that, while, +<a name="Page_74" id="Page_74"></a>for three years of literary employment, +she "held the noiseless tenor of her +way," her mind was insensibly advancing +towards a vigorous maturity. The +uninterrupted habit of composition gave +a freedom and firmness to the expression +of her sentiments. The society +she frequented, nourished her understanding, +and enlarged her mind. The +French revolution, while it gave a fundamental +shock to the human intellect +through every region of the globe, did +not fail to produce a conspicuous effect +in the progress of Mary's reflections. +The prejudices of her early +years suffered a vehement concussion. +Her respect for establishments +was undermined. At this period occurred +a misunderstanding upon public +grounds, with one of her early +friends, whose attachment to musty +<a name="Page_75" id="Page_75"></a>creeds and exploded absurdities, had +been increased, by the operation of +those very circumstances, by which +her mind had been rapidly advanced +in the race of independence.</p> + +<p>The event, immediately introductory +to the rank which from this time she +held in the lids of literature, was the +publication of Burke's Reflections on +the Revolution in France. This book, +after having been long promised to +the world, finally made its appearance +on the first of November 1790; and +Mary, full of sentiments of liberty, and +impressed with a warm interest in the +struggle that was now going on, seized +her pen in the first burst of indignation, +an emotion of which she was +strongly susceptible. She was in the +habit of composing with rapidity, and +her answer, which was the first of the +<a name="Page_76" id="Page_76"></a>numerous ones that appeared, obtained +extraordinary notice. Marked as +it is with the vehemence and impetuousness +of its eloquence, it is certainly +chargeable with a too contemptuous +and intemperate treatment of the great +man against whom its attack is directed. +But this circumstance was not +injurious to the success of the publication. +Burke had been warmly loved +by the most liberal and enlightened +friends of freedom, and they were proportionably +inflamed and disgusted by +the fury of his assault, upon what they +deemed to be its sacred cause.</p> + +<p>Short as was the time in which +Mary composed her Answer to +Burke's Reflections, there was one +anecdote she told me concerning it, +which seems worth recording in this +place. It was sent to the press, as is +<a name="Page_77" id="Page_77"></a>the general practice when the early +publication of a piece is deemed a +matter of importance, before the composition +was finished. When Mary +had arrived at about the middle of her +work, she was seized with a temporary +fit of torpor and indolence, and +began to repent of her undertaking. +In this state of mind, she called, one +evening, as she was in the practice of +doing, upon her publisher, for the purpose +of relieving herself by an hour +or two's conversation. Here, the habitual +ingenuousness of her nature, led +her to describe what had just past +in her thoughts. Mr. Johnson immediately, +in a kind and friendly way, +intreated her not to put any constraint +upon her inclination, and to give herself +no uneasiness about the sheets already +printed, which he would <a name="Page_78" id="Page_78"></a>cheerfully +throw aside, if it would contribute +to her happiness. Mary had +wanted stimulus. She had not expected +to be encouraged, in what she +well knew to be an unreasonable access +of idleness. Her friend's so readily +falling in with her ill-humour, and +seeming to expect that she would lay +aside her undertaking, piqued her +pride. She immediately went home; +and proceeded to the end of her work, +with no other interruptions but what +were absolutely indispensible.</p> + +<p>It is probable that the applause +which attended her Answer to Burke, +elevated the tone of her mind. She +had always felt much confidence in her +own powers; but it cannot be doubted, +that the actual perception of a +similar feeling respecting us in a multitude +of others, must increase the +<a name="Page_79" id="Page_79"></a>confidence, and stimulate the adventure +of any human being. Mary accordingly +proceeded, in a short time +after, to the composition of her most +celebrated production, the Vindication +of the Rights of Woman.</p> + +<p>Never did any author enter into a +cause, with a more ardent desire to be +found, not a flourishing and empty +declaimer, but an effectual champion. +She considered herself as standing forth +in defence of one half of the human +species, labouring under a yoke which, +through all the records of time, had +degraded them from the station of +rational beings, and almost sunk them +to the level of the brutes. She saw +indeed, that they were often attempted +to be held in silken fetters, and +bribed into the love of slavery; but +the disguise and the treachery served +<a name="Page_80" id="Page_80"></a>only the more fully to confirm her opposition. +She regarded her sex, in +the language of Calista, as</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"In every state of life the slaves of men:"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>the rich as alternately under the despotism +of a father, a brother, and a +husband; and the middling and the +poorer classes shut out from the acquisition +of bread with independence, +when they are not shut out from the +very means of an industrious subsistence. +Such were the views she entertained +of the subject; and such the +feelings with which she warmed her +mind.</p> + +<p>The work is certainly a very bold +and original production. The strength +and firmness with which the author +repels the opinions of Rousseau, Dr. +Gregory, and Dr. James Fordyce, <a name="Page_81" id="Page_81"></a>respecting +the condition of women, +cannot but make a strong impression +upon every ingenuous reader. The +public at large formed very different +opinions respecting the character of +the performance. Many of the sentiments +are undoubtedly of a rather +masculine description. The spirited +and decisive way in which the author +explodes the system of gallantry, and +the species of homage with which the +sex is usually treated, shocked the majority. +Novelty produced a sentiment +in their mind, which they mistook for +a sense of injustice. The pretty, soft +creatures that are so often to be found +in the female sex, and that class of +men who believe they could not exist +without such pretty, soft creatures to +resort to, were in arms against the author +of so heretical and blasphemous +<a name="Page_82" id="Page_82"></a>a doctrine. There are also, it must be +confessed, occasional passages of a +stern and rugged feature, incompatible +with the true stamina of the writer's +character. But, if they did not +belong to her fixed and permanent +character, they belonged to her character +<i>pro tempore</i>; and what she thought, +she scorned to qualify.</p> + +<p>Yet, along with this rigid, and somewhat +amazonian temper, which characterised +some parts of the book, it +is impossible not to remark a luxuriance +of imagination, and a trembling +delicacy of sentiment, which would +have done honour to a poet, bursting with +all the visions of an Armida and +a Dido.</p> + +<p>The contradiction, to the public apprehension, +was equally great, as to +the person of the author, as it was +when they considered the temper of +<a name="Page_83" id="Page_83"></a>the book. In the champion of her +sex, who was described as endeavouring +to invest them with all the rights +of man, those whom curiosity prompted +to seek the occasion of beholding +her, expected to find a sturdy, muscular, +raw-boned virago; and they were +not a little surprised, when, instead of +all this, they found a woman, lovely +in her person, and, in the best and most +engaging sense, feminine in her manners.</p> + +<p>The Vindication of the Rights of +Woman is undoubtedly a very unequal +performance, and eminently deficient +in method and arrangement. When +tried by the hoary and long-established +laws of literary composition, it can +scarcely maintain its claim to be +placed in the first class of human productions. +But when we consider the +<a name="Page_84" id="Page_84"></a>importance of its doctrines, and the +eminence of genius it displays, it seems +not very improbable that it will be +read as long as the English language +endures. The publication of this +book forms an epocha in the subject +to which it belongs; and Mary Wollstonecraft +will perhaps hereafter be +found to have performed more substantial +service for the cause of her sex, +than all the other writers, male or female, +that ever felt themselves animated +in the behalf of oppressed and injured +beauty.</p> + +<p>The censure of the liberal critic as +to the defects of this performance, +will be changed into astonishment, +when I tell him, that a work of this inestimable +moment, was begun, carried +on, and finished in the state in which +<a name="Page_85" id="Page_85"></a>it now appears, in a period of no more +than six weeks.</p> + +<p>It is necessary here that I should resume +the subject of the friendship that +subsisted between Mary and Mr. Fuseli, +which proved the source of the +most memorable events in her subsequent +history. He is a native of the +republic of Switzerland, but has spent +the principal part of his life in the +island of Great-Britain. The eminence +of his genius can scarcely be +disputed; it has indeed received the +testimony which is the least to be suspected, +that of some of the most considerable +of his contemporary artists. +He has one of the most striking characteristics +of genius, a daring, as well +as persevering, spirit of adventure. +The work in which he is at present +engaged, a series of pictures for the +<a name="Page_86" id="Page_86"></a>illustration of Milton, upon a very +large scale, and produced solely upon +the incitement of his own mind, is a +proof of this, if indeed his whole life +had not sufficiently proved it.</p> + +<p>Mr. Fuseli is one of Mr. Johnson's +oldest friends, and was at this time in +the habit of visiting him two or three +times a week. Mary, one of whose +strongest characteristics was the exquisite +sensations of pleasure she felt from +the associations of visible objects, had +hitherto never been acquainted, or never +intimately acquainted, with an +eminent painter. The being thus introduced +therefore to the society of +Mr. Fuseli, was a high gratification to +her; while he found in Mary, a person +perhaps more susceptible of the emotions +painting is calculated to excite, +than any other with whom he ever +<a name="Page_87" id="Page_87"></a>conversed. Painting, and subjects closely +connected with painting, were their almost +constant topics of conversation; and +they found them inexhaustible. It cannot +be doubted, but that this was a species +of exercise very conducive to the +improvement of Mary's mind.</p> + +<p>Nothing human however is unmixed. +If Mary derived improvement +from Mr. Fuseli, she may also be suspected +of having caught the infection +of some of his faults. In early life +Mr. Fuseli was ardently attached to +literature; but the demands of his +profession have prevented him from +keeping up that extensive and indiscriminate +acquaintance with it, that +belles-lettres scholars frequently possess. +Of consequence, the favourites +of his boyish years remain his only favourites. +Homer is with Mr. Fuseli the +<a name="Page_88" id="Page_88"></a>abstract and deposit of every human +perfection. Milton, Shakespear, and +Richardson, have also engaged much of +his attention. The nearest rival of Homer, +I believe, if Homer can have a rival, +is Jean Jacques Rousseau. A young +man embraces entire the opinions of +a favourite writer, and Mr. Fuseli has +not had leisure to bring the opinions +of his youth to a revision. Smitten +with Rousseau's conception of the +perfectness of the savage state, and +the essential abortiveness of all civilization, +Mr. Fuseli looks at all our little +attempts at improvement, with a +spirit that borders perhaps too much +upon contempt and indifference. One +of his favourite positions is the divinity +of genius. This is a power that +comes complete at once from the +hands of the Creator of all things, +and the first essays of a man of real +<a name="Page_89" id="Page_89"></a>genius are such, in all their grand and +most important features, as no subsequent +assiduity can amend. Add to +this, that Mr. Fuseli is somewhat of +a caustic turn of mind, with much wit, +and a disposition to search, in every +thing new or modern, for occasions of +censure. I believe Mary came something +more a cynic out of the school of +Mr. Fuseli, than she went into it.</p> + +<p>But the principal circumstance that +relates to the intercourse of Mary, +and this celebrated artist, remains to +be told. She saw Mr. Fuseli frequently; +he amused, delighted and instructed +her. As a painter, it was impossible +she should not wish to see his +works, and consequently to frequent +his house. She visited him; her visits +were returned. Notwithstanding the +inequality of their years, Mary was not +<a name="Page_90" id="Page_90"></a>of a temper to live upon terms of so +much intimacy with a man of merit +and genius, without loving him. +The delight she enjoyed in his society, +she transferred by association to his +person. What she experienced in +this respect, was no doubt heightened, +by the state of celibacy and restraint +in which she had hitherto lived, and +to which the rules of polished society +condemn an unmarried woman. She +conceived a personal and ardent affection +for him. Mr. Fuseli was a +married man, and his wife the acquaintance +of Mary. She readily +perceived the restrictions which this +circumstance seemed to impose upon +her; but she made light of any difficulty +that might arise out of them. +Not that she was insensible to the value +of domestic endearments between +<a name="Page_91" id="Page_91"></a>persons of an opposite sex, but that +she scorned to suppose, that she could +feel a struggle, in conforming to the +laws she should lay down to her conduct.</p> + +<p>There cannot perhaps be a properer +place than the present, to state her +principles upon this subject, such at +least as they were when I knew her +best. She set a great value on a mutual +affection between persons of an +opposite sex. She regarded it as the +principal solace of human life. It was +her maxim, "that the imagination +should awaken the senses, and not the +senses the imagination." In other +words, that whatever related to the +gratification of the senses, ought to +arise, in a human being of a pure mind, +only as the consequence of an individual +affection. She regarded the<a name="Page_92" id="Page_92"></a> manners +and habits of the majority of our +sex in that respect, with strong disapprobation. +She conceived that true +virtue would prescribe the most entire +celibacy, exclusively of affection, and +the most perfect fidelity to that affection +when it existed.—There is no reason +to doubt that, if Mr. Fuseli had +been disengaged at the period of their +acquaintance, he would have been the +man of her choice. As it was, she +conceived it both practicable and eligible, +to cultivate a distinguishing affection +for him, and to foster it by the +endearments of personal intercourse +and a reciprocation of kindness, without +departing in the smallest degree +from the rules she prescribed to herself.</p> + +<p>In September 1791, she removed +from the house she occupied in George-street, +to a large and commodious +<a name="Page_93" id="Page_93"></a>apartment in Store street, Bedford-square. +She began to think that she +had been too rigid, in the laws of frugality +and self-denial with which she +set out in her literary career; and now +added to the neatness and cleanliness +which she had always scrupulously observed +a certain degree of elegance, +and those temperate indulgences in +furniture and accommodation, from +which a sound and uncorrupted taste +never fails to derive pleasure.</p> + +<p>It was in the month of November +in the same year (1791), that the +writer of this narrative was first in +company with the person to whom it +relates. He dined with her at a +friend's, together with Mr. Thomas +Paine and one or two other +persons. The invitation was of his +own seeking, his object being to see +<a name="Page_94" id="Page_94"></a>the author of the Rights of Man, with +whom he had never before conversed.</p> + +<p>The interview was not fortunate. +Mary and myself parted, mutually +displeased with each other. I had not +read her Rights of Woman. I had +barely looked into her Answer to Burke, +and been displeased, as literary men +are apt to be, with a few offences, +against grammar and other minute +points of composition. I had therefore +little curiosity to see Mrs. Wollstonecraft, +and a very great curiosity to +see Thomas Paine. Paine, in his general +habits, is no great talker; and, +though he threw in occasionally some +shrewd and striking remarks; the +conversation lay principally between +me and Mary. I, of consequence, +heard her, very frequently when I wished +to hear Paine.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95"></a>We touched on a considerable variety +of topics, and particularly on +the characters and habits of certain +eminent men. Mary, as has already +been observed, had acquired, in a very +blameable degree, the practice of seeing +every thing on the gloomy side, +and bestowing censure with a plentiful +hand, where circumstances were in +any respect doubtful. I, on the contrary, +had a strong propensity, to favourable +construction, and particularly, +where I found unequivocal marks of +genius, strongly to incline to the supposition +of generous and manly virtue. +We ventilated in this way the characters +of Voltaire and others, who have +obtained from some individuals an ardent +admiration, while the greater +number have treated them with extreme +moral severity. Mary was at +<a name="Page_96" id="Page_96"></a>last provoked to tell me, that praise, +lavished in the way that I lavished it, +could do no credit either to the commended +or the commender. We discussed +some questions on the subject +of religion, in which her opinions approached +much nearer to the received +ones, than mine. As the conversation +proceeded, I became dissatisfied with +the tone of my own share in it. We +touched upon all topics, without treating +forcibly and connectedly upon +any. Meanwhile, I did her the justice, +in giving an account of the conversation +to a party in which I supped, +though I was not sparing of my blame, +to yield her the praise of a person of +active and independent thinking. On +her side, she did me no part of what +perhaps I considered as justice.</p> + +<p>We met two or three times in the +<a name="Page_97" id="Page_97"></a>course of the following year, but made +a very small degree of progress towards +a cordial acquaintance.</p> + +<p>In the close of the year 1792, Mary +went over to France, where she continued +to reside for upwards of two +years. One of her principal inducements +to this step, related, I believe, +to Mr. Fuseli. She had, at first, considered +it as reasonable and judicious, to +cultivate what I may be permitted to +call, a Platonic affection for him; but +she did not, in the sequel, find all the +satisfaction in this plan, which she had +originally expected from it. It was in +vain that she enjoyed much pleasure +in his society, and that she enjoyed it +frequently. Her ardent imagination +was continually conjuring up pictures +of the happiness she should have found, +if fortune had favoured their more <a name="Page_98" id="Page_98"></a>intimate +union. She felt herself formed +for domestic affection, and all those +tender charities, which men of sensibility +have constantly treated as the dearest +band of human society. General +conversation and society could not satisfy +her. She felt herself alone, as it +were, in the great mass of her species; +and she repined when she reflected, +that the best years of her life were spent +in this comfortless solitude. These ideas +made the cordial intercourse of Mr. +Fuseli, which had at first been one of +her greatest pleasures, a source of perpetual +torment to her. She conceived +it necessary to snap the chain of this +association in her mind; and, for that +purpose, determined to seek a new climate, +and mingle in different scenes.</p> + +<p>It is singular, that during her residence +in Store street, which lasted more +<a name="Page_99" id="Page_99"></a>than twelve months, she produced nothing, +except a few articles in the Analytical +Review. Her literary meditations +were chiefly employed upon the +Sequel to the Rights of Woman; but +she has scarcely left behind her a single +paper, that can, with any certainty, be +assigned to have had this destination.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100"></a></p> +<h2><a name="CHAP_VII" id="CHAP_VII"></a>CHAP. VII.</h2> + +<h3>1792-1795.</h3> + + +<p>The original plan of Mary, respecting +her residence in France, had +no precise limits in the article of duration; +the single purpose she had in +view being that of an endeavour to heal +her distempered mind. She did not +proceed so far as even to discharge her +lodging in London; and, to some friends +who saw her immediately before her +departure, she spoke merely of an absence +of six weeks.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101"></a>It is not to be wondered at, that her +excursion did not originally seem to +produce the effects she had expected +from it. She was in a land of strangers; +she had no acquaintance; she had even +to acquire the power of receiving and +communicating ideas with facility in +the language of the country. Her first +residence was in a spacious mansion to +which she had been invited, but the +master of which (monsieur Fillietaz) +was absent at the time of her arrival. +At first therefore she found herself +surrounded only with servants. The +gloominess of her mind communicated +its own colour to the objects she saw; +and in this temper she began a series of +Letters on the Present Character of the +French Nation, one of which she forwarded +to her publisher, and which appears +in the collection of her posthumous +<a name="Page_102" id="Page_102"></a>works. This performance she soon +after discontinued; and it is, as she +justly remarks, tinged with the saturnine +temper which at that time pervaded +her mind.</p> + +<p>Mary carried with her introductions +to several agreeable families in Paris. +She renewed her acquaintance with +Paine. There also subsisted a very sincere +friendship between her and Helen +Maria Williams, author of a collection +of poems of uncommon merit, who at +that time resided in Paris. Another +person, whom Mary always spoke of in +terms of ardent commendation, both +for the excellence of his disposition, +and the force of his genius, was a count +Slabrendorf, by birth, I believe, a +Swede. It is almost unnecessary to +mention, that she was personally <a name="Page_103" id="Page_103"></a>acquainted +with the majority of the +leaders in the French revolution.</p> + +<p>But the house that, I believe, she +principally frequented at this time, was +that of Mr. Thomas Christie, a person +whose pursuits were mercantile, and +who had written a volume on the +French revolution. With Mrs. Christie +her acquaintance was more intimate +than with the husband.</p> + +<p>It was about four months after her +arrival at Paris in December 1792, +that she entered into that species of +connection, for which her heart secretly +panted, and which had the effect of +diffusing an immediate tranquillity and +cheerfulness over her manners. The +person with whom it was formed (for +it would be an idle piece of delicacy, +to attempt to suppress a name, which is +known to every one whom the<a name="Page_104" id="Page_104"></a> reputation +of Mary has reached), was Mr. Gilbert +Imlay, native of the United States +of North America.</p> + +<p>The place at which she first saw Mr. +Imlay was at the house of Mr. Christie; +and it perhaps deserves to be noticed, +that the emotions he then excited +in her mind, were, I am told, those +of dislike, and that, for some time, she +shunned all occasions of meeting him. +This sentiment however speedily gave +place to one of greater kindness.</p> + +<p>Previously to the partiality she conceived +for him, she had determined +upon a journey to Switzerland, induced +chiefly by motives of economy. +But she had some difficulty in procuring +a passport; and it was probably +the intercourse that now originated between +her and Mr. Imlay, that changed +her purpose, and led her to prefer +<a name="Page_105" id="Page_105"></a>a lodging at Neuilly, a village three +miles from Paris. Her habitation here +was a solitary house in the midst of a +garden, with no other inhabitants than +herself and the gardener, an old man, +who performed for her many of the +offices of a domestic, and would +sometimes contend for the honour of +making her bed. The gardener had a +great veneration for his guest, and +would set before her, when alone, +some grapes of a particularly fine sort, +which she could not without the greatest +difficulty obtain, when she had any +person with her as a visitor. Here it +was that she conceived, and for the +most part executed, her Historical and +Moral View of the French Revolution<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a>, +into which, as she observes, are incorporated +most of the observations she +<a name="Page_106" id="Page_106"></a>had collected for her Letters, and +which was written with more sobriety +and cheerfulness than the tone in which +they had been commenced. In the +evening she was accustomed to refresh +herself by a walk in a neighbouring +wood, from which her old host in vain +endeavoured to dissuade her, by recounting +divers horrible robberies and +murders that had been committed +there.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> No part of the proposed continuation of this work, +has been found among the papers of the author.</p></div> + +<p>The commencement of the attachment +Mary now formed, had neither +confident nor adviser. She always conceived +it to be a gross breach of delicacy +to have any confidant in a matter +of this sacred nature, an affair of the +heart. The origin of the connection +was about the middle of April 1793, +and it was carried on in a private manner +for four months. At the expiration +of that period a circumstance <a name="Page_107" id="Page_107"></a>occurred +that induced her to declare it. +The French convention, exasperated +at the conduct of the British government, +particularly in the affair of Toulon, +formed a decree against the citizens +of this country, by one article of +which the English, resident in France, +were ordered into prison till the period +of a general peace. Mary had objected +to a marriage with Mr. Imlay, who, +at the time their connection was formed, +had no property whatever; because +she would not involve him in certain +family embarrassments to which she +conceived herself exposed, or make +him answerable for the pecuniary demands +that existed against her. She +however considered their engagement +as of the most sacred nature; and they +had mutually formed the plan of emigrating +to America, as soon as they +<a name="Page_108" id="Page_108"></a>should have realized a sum, enabling +them to do it in the mode they desired. +The decree however that I have just +mentioned, made it necessary, not that +a marriage should actually take place, +but that Mary should take the name of +Imlay, which, from the nature of their +connexion, she conceived herself entitled +to do, and obtain a certificate +from the American ambassador, as the +wife of a native of that country.</p> + +<p>Their engagement being thus avowed, +they thought proper to reside under +the same roof, and for that purpose +removed to Paris.</p> + +<p>Mary was now arrived at the situation, +which, for two or three preceding +years, her reason had pointed out to +her as affording the most substantial +prospect of happiness. She had been +tossed and agitated by the waves of +<a name="Page_109" id="Page_109"></a>misfortune. Her childhood, as she often +said, had known few of the endearments, +which constitute the principal +happiness of childhood. The temper +of her father had early given to +her mind a severe cast of thought, and +substituted the inflexibility of resistance +for the confidence of affection. The +cheerfulness of her entrance upon womanhood, +had been darkened, by an +attendance upon the death-bed of her +mother, and the still more afflicting +calamity of her eldest sister. Her exertions +to create a joint independence +for her sisters and herself, had been attended, +neither with the success, nor +the pleasure, she had hoped from them. +Her first youthful passion, her friendship +for Fanny, had encountered many disappointments, +and, in fine, a melancholy +and premature catastrophe. Soon +<a name="Page_110" id="Page_110"></a>after these accumulated mortifications, +she was engaged in a contest with a +near relation, whom she regarded as +unprincipled, respecting the wreck of +her father's fortune. In this affair she +suffered the double pain, which arises +from moral indignation, and disappointed +benevolence. Her exertions to assist +almost every member of her family, +were great and unremitted. Finally, +when she indulged a romantic affection +for Mr. Fuseli, and fondly imagined +that she should find in it the solace of +her cares, she perceived too late, that, +by continually impressing on her mind +fruitless images of unreserved affection +and domestic felicity, it only served to +give new pungency to the sensibility +that was destroying her.</p> + +<p>Some persons may be inclined to observe, +that the evils here enumerated, +<a name="Page_111" id="Page_111"></a>are not among the heaviest in the catalogue +of human calamities. But evils +take their rank, more from the temper +of the mind that suffers them, than +from their abstract nature. Upon +a man of a hard and insensible disposition, +the shafts of misfortune often fall +pointless and impotent. There are persons, +by no means hard and insensible, +who, from an elastic and sanguine +turn of mind, are continually prompted +to look on the fair side of things, +and, having suffered one fall, immediately +rise again, to pursue their course, +with the same eagerness, the same +hope, and the same gaiety, as before. +On the other hand, we not unfrequently +meet with persons, endowed with +the most exquisite and delicious sensibility, +whose minds seem almost of too +fine a texture to encounter the vicissitudes +<a name="Page_112" id="Page_112"></a>of human affairs, to whom pleasure +is transport, and disappointment is +agony indescribable. This character is +finely pourtrayed by the author of the +Sorrows of Werter. Mary was in this +respect a female Werter.</p> + +<p>She brought then, in the present instance, +a wounded and sick heart, to +take refuge in the bosom of a chosen +friend. Let it not however be imagined, +that she brought a heart, querulous, +and ruined in its taste for pleasure. +No; her whole character seemed +to change with a change of fortune. +Her sorrows, the depression of her +spirits, were forgotten, and she assumed +all the simplicity and the vivacity of a +youthful mind. She was like a serpent +upon a rock, that casts its slough, and +appears again with the brilliancy, the +sleekness, and the elastic activity of its +<a name="Page_113" id="Page_113"></a>happiest age. She was playful, full of +confidence, kindness and sympathy. Her +eyes assumed new lustre, and her cheeks +new colour and smoothness. Her voice +became chearful; her temper overflowing +with universal kindness; and that +smile of bewitching tenderness from +day to day illuminated her countenance, +which all who knew her will so +well recollect, and which won, both +heart and soul, the affection of almost +every one that beheld it.</p> + +<p>Mary now reposed herself upon a +person, of whose honour and principles +she had the most exalted idea. +She nourished an individual affection, +which she saw no necessity of subjecting +to restraint; and a heart like her's +was not formed to nourish affection by +halves. Her conception of Mr. Imlay's +"tenderness and worth, had +<a name="Page_114" id="Page_114"></a>twisted him closely round her heart;" +and she "indulged the thought, that +she had thrown out some tendrils, to +cling to the elm by which she wished +to be supported." This was "talking +a new language to her;" but, "conscious +that she was not a parasite-plant," +she was willing to encourage +and foster the luxuriancies of affection. +Her confidence was entire; her love +was unbounded. Now, for the first +time in her life she gave a loose to all +the sensibilities of her nature.</p> + +<p>Soon after the time I am now speaking +of, her attachment to Mr. Imlay +gained a new link, by finding reason +to suppose herself with child.</p> + +<p>Their establishment at Paris, was +however broken up almost as soon as +formed, by the circumstance of Mr. +Imlay's entering into business, urged, +<a name="Page_115" id="Page_115"></a>as he said, by the prospect of a family, +and this being a favourable crisis in +French affairs for commercial speculations. +The pursuits in which he was +engaged, led him in the month of September +to Havre de Grace, then called +Havre Marat, probably to superintend +the shipping of goods, in which he was +jointly engaged with some other person +or persons. Mary remained in the +capital.</p> + +<p>The solitude in which she was now +left, proved an unexpected trial. +Domestic affections constituted the object +upon which her heart was fixed; +and she early felt, with an inward +grief, that Mr. Imlay "did not attach +those tender emotions round the idea +of home," which, every time they recurred, +dimmed her eyes with moisture. +She had expected his return +<a name="Page_116" id="Page_116"></a>from week to week, and from month +to month, but a succession of business +still continued to detain him at Havre. +At the same time the sanguinary character +which the government of France +began every day more decisively to assume, +contributed to banish tranquillity +from the first months of her pregnancy. +Before she left Neuilly, she +happened one day to enter Paris on +foot (I believe, by the <i>Place de Louis +Quinze</i>), when an execution, attended +with some peculiar aggravations, had +just taken place, and the blood of the +guillotine appeared fresh upon the +pavement. The emotions of her soul +burst forth in indignant exclamations, +while a prudent bystander warned her +of her danger, and intreated her to +hasten and hide her discontents. She +described to me, more than once, the +<a name="Page_117" id="Page_117"></a>anguish she felt at hearing of the death +of Brissot, Vergniaud, and the twenty +deputies, as one of the most intolerable +sensations she had ever experienced.</p> + +<p>Finding the return of Mr. Imlay +continually postponed, she determined, +in January 1794, to join him at Havre. +One motive that influenced her, +though, I believe, by no means the +principal, was the growing cruelties +of Robespierre, and the desire she felt +to be in any other place, rather than +the devoted city, in the midst of +which they were perpetrated.</p> + +<p>From January to September, Mr. +Imlay and Mary lived together, with +great harmony, at Havre, where the +child, with which she was pregnant, +was born, on the fourteenth of May, +and named Frances, in remembrance of +<a name="Page_118" id="Page_118"></a>the dear friend of her youth, whose +image could never be erased from her +memory.</p> + +<p>In September, Mr. Imlay took his +departure from Havre for the port of +London. As this step was said to be +necessary in the way of business, he +endeavoured to prevail upon Mary to +quit Havre, and once more take up her +abode at Paris. Robespierre was now +no more, and, of consequence, the only +objection she had to residing in the capital, +was removed. Mr. Imlay was +already in London, before she undertook +her journey, and it proved the +most fatiguing journey she ever made; +the carriage, in which she travelled, +being overturned no less than four times +between Havre and Paris.</p> + +<p>This absence, like that of the preceding +year in which Mr. Imlay had +<a name="Page_119" id="Page_119"></a>removed to Havre, was represented as +an absence that was to have a short +duration. In two months he was once +again to join her at Paris. It proved +however the prelude to an eternal separation. +The agonies of such a separation, +or rather desertion, great as +Mary would have found them upon +every supposition, were vastly increased, +by the lingering method in which it +was effected, and the ambiguity that, +for a long time, hung upon it. This +circumstance produced the effect, of +holding her mind, by force, as it were, +to the most painful of all subjects, and +not suffering her to derive the just advantage +from the energy and elasticity +of her character.</p> + +<p>The procrastination of which I am +speaking was however productive of +one advantage. It put off the evil +<a name="Page_120" id="Page_120"></a>day. She did not suspect the calamities +that awaited her, till the close of +the year. She gained an additional +three months of comparative happiness. +But she purchased it at a very dear rate. +Perhaps no human creature ever suffered +greater misery, than dyed the whole +year 1795, in the life of this incomparable +woman. It was wasted in +that sort of despair, to the sense of +which the mind is continually awakened, +by a glimmering of fondly cherished, +expiring hope.</p> + +<p>Why did she thus obstinately cling +to an ill-starred, unhappy passion? Because +it is of the very essence of affection, +to seek to perpetuate itself. He +does not love, who can resign this cherished +sentiment, without suffering +some of the sharpest struggles that our +nature is capable of enduring. Add +<a name="Page_121" id="Page_121"></a>to this, Mary had fixed her heart upon +this chosen friend; and one of the last +impressions a worthy mind can submit +to receive, is that of the worthlessness +of the person upon whom it has fixed +all its esteem. Mary had struggled to +entertain a favourable opinion of human +nature; she had unweariedly +fought for a kindred mind, in whose +integrity and fidelity to take up her +rest. Mr. Imlay undertook to prove, +in his letters written immediately +after their complete separation, that his +conduct towards her was reconcilable +to the strictest rectitude; but undoubtedly +Mary was of a different opinion. +Whatever the reader may decide in +this respect, there is one sentiment +that, I believe, he will unhesitatingly +admit: that of pity for the mistake of +the man, who, being in possession of +<a name="Page_122" id="Page_122"></a>such a friendship and attachment as +those of Mary, could hold them at a +trivial price, and, "like the base Indian, +throw a pearl away, richer than +all his tribe.<a name="FNanchor_A_2" id="FNanchor_A_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_2" class="fnanchor">[A]</a>"</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_2" id="Footnote_A_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_2"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> A person, from whose society at this time Mary +derived particular gratification, was Archibald +Hamilton Rowan, who had lately become a fugitive +from Ireland, in consequence of a political +prosecution, and in whom she found those qualities +which were always eminently engaging to her, +great integrity of disposition, and great kindness +of heart.</p></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123"></a></p> +<h2><a name="CHAP_VIII" id="CHAP_VIII"></a>CHAP. VIII.</h2> + +<h3>1795, 1796.</h3> + + +<p>In April 1795, Mary returned once +more to London, being requested to do +so by Mr. Imlay, who even sent a servant +to Paris to wait upon her in the +journey, before she could complete the +necessary arrangements for her departure. +But, notwithstanding these favourable +appearances, she came to England +with a heavy heart, not daring, +after all the uncertainties and anguish +she had endured, to trust to the suggestions +of hope.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124"></a>The gloomy forebodings of her +mind, were but too faithfully verified. +Mr. Imlay had already formed another +connexion; as it is said, with a young +actress from a strolling company of +players. His attentions therefore to +Mary were formal and constrained, and +she probably had but little of his society. +This alteration could not escape +her penetrating glance. He ascribed +it to pressure of business, and some pecuniary +embarrassments which, at that +time, occurred to him; it was of little +consequence to Mary what was the +cause. She saw, but too well, though +she strove not to see, that his affections +were lost to her for ever.</p> + +<p>It is impossible to imagine a period of +greater pain and mortification than +Mary passed, for about seven weeks, +from the sixteenth of April to the +<a name="Page_125" id="Page_125"></a>sixth of June, in a furnished house +that Mr. Imlay had provided for her. +She had come over to England, a +country for which she, at this time, expressed +"a repugnance, that almost +amounted to horror," in search of happiness. +She feared that that happiness +had altogether escaped her; but she +was encouraged by the eagerness and +impatience which Mr. Imlay at length +seemed to manifest for her arrival. +When she saw him, all her fears were +confirmed. What a picture was she +capable of forming to herself, of the +overflowing kindness of a meeting, +after an interval of so much anguish +and apprehension! A thousand images +of this sort were present to her burning +imagination. It is in vain, on such occasions, +for reserve and reproach to endeavour +to curb in the emotions of an +<a name="Page_126" id="Page_126"></a>affectionate heart. But the hopes she +nourished were speedily blasted. Her +reception by Mr. Imlay, was cold and +embarrassed. Discussions ("explanations" +they were called) followed; +cruel explanations, that only added to +the anguish of a heart already overwhelmed +in grief! They had small pretensions +indeed to explicitness; but +they sufficiently told, that the case admitted +not of remedy.</p> + +<p>Mary was incapable of sustaining +her equanimity in this pressing emergency. +"Love, dear, delusive love!" +as she expressed herself to a friend +some time afterwards, "rigorous reason +had forced her to resign; and now +her rational prospects were blasted, just +as she had learned to be contented with +rational enjoyments". Thus situated, +life became an intolerable burthen.<a name="Page_127" id="Page_127"></a> +While she was absent from Mr. Imlay, +she could talk of purposes of reparation +and independence. But, now that +they were in the same house, she could +not withhold herself from endeavours to +revive their mutual cordiality; and unsuccessful +endeavours continually added +fuel to the fire that destroyed her. +She formed a desperate purpose to die.</p> + +<p>This part of the story of Mary is involved +in considerable obscurity. I +only know, that Mr. Imlay became acquainted +with her purpose, at a moment +when he was uncertain whether +or no it were already executed, and that +his feelings were roused by the intelligence. +It was perhaps owing to his +activity and representations, that her +life was, at this time, saved. She determined +to continue to exist. Actuated +by this purpose, she took a <a name="Page_128" id="Page_128"></a>resolution, +worthy both of the strength and +affectionateness of her mind. Mr. Imlay +was involved in a question of considerable +difficulty, respecting a mercantile +adventure in Norway. It seemed to require +the presence of some very judicious +agent, to conduct the business to +its desired termination. Mary determined +to make the voyage, and take +the business into her own hands. Such +a voyage seemed the most desireable +thing to recruit her health, and, if possible, +her spirits, in the present crisis. +It was also gratifying to her feelings, to +be employed in promoting the interest +of a man, from whom she had experienced +such severe unkindness, but +to whom she ardently desired to be reconciled. +The moment of desperation +I have mentioned, occurred in the close +of May, and, in about a week after, +<a name="Page_129" id="Page_129"></a>she set out upon this new expedition.</p> + +<p>The narrative of this voyage is before +the world, and perhaps a book of travels +that so irresistibly seizes on the +heart, never, in any other instance, +found its way from the press. The +occasional harshness and ruggedness of +character, that diversify her Vindication +of the Rights of Woman, here totally +disappear. If ever there was a book +calculated to make a man in love with +its author, this appears to me to be the +book. She speaks of her sorrows, in a +way that fills us with melancholy, and +dissolves us in tenderness, at the same +time that she displays a genius which +commands all our admiration. Affliction +had tempered her heart to a +softness almost more than human; and +the gentleness of her spirit seems <a name="Page_130" id="Page_130"></a>precisely +to accord with all the romance of +unbounded attachment.</p> + +<p>Thus softened and improved, thus +fraught with imagination and sensibility, +with all, and more than all, "that +youthful poets fancy, when they love," +she returned to England, and, if he had +so pleased, to the arms of her former +lover. Her return was hastened by +the ambiguity, to her apprehension, of +Mr. Imlay's conduct. He had promised +to meet her upon her return +from Norway, probably at Hamburgh; +and they were then to pass some time in +Switzerland. The style however of +his letters to her during her tour, was +not such as to inspire confidence; and +she wrote to him very urgently, to explain +himself, relative to the footing +upon which they were hereafter to +stand to each other. In his answer, +<a name="Page_131" id="Page_131"></a>which reached her at Hamburgh, he +treated her questions as "extraordinary +and unnecessary," and desired her +to be at the pains to decide for herself. +Feeling herself unable to accept this as +an explanation, she instantly determined +to sail for London by the very first opportunity, +that she might thus bring to +a termination the suspence that preyed +upon her soul.</p> + +<p>It was not long after her arrival in +London in the commencement of October, +that she attained the certainty +she sought. Mr. Imlay procured her a +lodging. But the neglect she experienced +from him after she entered it, +flashed conviction upon her, in spite of +his asseverations. She made further enquiries, +and at length was informed by +a servant, of the real state of the case. +Under the immediate shock which the +<a name="Page_132" id="Page_132"></a>painful certainty gave her, her first impulse +was to repair to him at the ready-furnished +house he had provided for his +new mistress. What was the particular +nature of their conference I am +unable to relate. It is sufficient to say +that the wretchedness of the night which +succeeded this fatal discovery, impressed +her with the feeling, that she would +sooner suffer a thousand deaths, than +pass another of equal misery.</p> + +<p>The agony of her mind determined +her; and that determination gave her a +sort of desperate serenity. She resolved +to plunge herself in the Thames; +and, not being satisfied with any spot +nearer to London, she took a boat, and +rowed to Putney. Her first thought +had led her to Battersea-bridge, but +she found it too public. It was night +when she arrived at Putney, and by +<a name="Page_133" id="Page_133"></a>that time had begun to rain with great +violence. The rain suggested to her +the idea of walking up and down the +bridge, till her clothes were thoroughly +drenched and heavy with +the wet, which she did for half an +hour without meeting a human being. +She then leaped from the top of the +bridge, but still seemed to find a difficulty +in sinking, which she endeavoured +to counteract by pressing her clothes +closely round her. After some time +she became insensible; but she always +spoke of the pain she underwent as +such, that, though she could afterwards +have determined upon almost any other +species of voluntary death, it would have +been impossible for her to resolve upon +encountering the same sensations again. +I am doubtful, whether this is to be +ascribed to the mere nature of <a name="Page_134" id="Page_134"></a>suffocation, +or was not rather owing to the +preternatural action of a desperate +spirit.</p> + +<p>After having been for a considerable +time insensible, she was recovered by +the exertions of those by whom the +body was found. She had sought, with +cool and deliberate firmness, to put a +period to her existence, and yet she +lived to have every prospect of a long +possession of enjoyment and happiness. +It is perhaps not an unfrequent case +with suicides, that we find reason to +suppose, if they had survived their +gloomy purpose, that they would, at a +subsequent period, have been considerably +happy. It arises indeed, in some +measure, out of the very nature of a +spirit of self-destruction; which implies +a degree of anguish, that the constitution +of the human mind will not +<a name="Page_135" id="Page_135"></a>suffer to remain long undiminished. +This is a serious reflection, Probably +no man would destroy himself from an +impatience of present pain, if he felt +a moral certainty that there were years +of enjoyment still in reserve for him. +It is perhaps a futile attempt, to think +of reasoning with a man in that state +of mind which precedes suicide. Moral +reasoning is nothing but the awakening +of certain feelings: and the feeling +by which he is actuated, is too +strong to leave us much chance of impressing +him with other feelings, that +should have force enough to counterbalance +it. But, if the prospect of future +tranquillity and pleasure cannot be +expected to have much weight with a +man under an immediate purpose of +suicide, it is so much the more to be +wished, that men would impress their +<a name="Page_136" id="Page_136"></a>minds, in their sober moments, with a +conception, which, being rendered habitual, +seems to promise to act as a successful +antidote in a paroxysm of desperation.</p> + +<p>The present situation of Mary, of +necessity produced some further intercourse +between her and Mr. Imlay. +He sent a physician to her; and Mrs. +Christie, at his desire, prevailed on her +to remove to her house in Finsbury-square. +In the mean time Mr. Imlay +assured her that his present was merely +a casual, sensual connection; and, of +course, fostered in her mind the idea +that it would be once more in her +choice to live with him. With whatever +intention the idea was suggested, +it was certainly calculated to increase +the agitation of her mind. In one +respect however it produced an effect +<a name="Page_137" id="Page_137"></a>unlike that which might most obviously +have been looked for. It roused within +her the characteristic energy of mind, +which she seemed partially to have forgotten. +She saw the necessity of bringing +the affair to a point, and not suffering +months and years to roll on in uncertainty +and suspence. This idea inspired +her with an extraordinary resolution. +The language she employed, +was, in effect, as follows: "If we are +ever to live together again, it must be +now. We meet now, or we part for +ever. You say, You cannot abruptly +break off the connection you have +formed. It is unworthy of my courage +and character, to wait the uncertain +issue of that connexion. I am determined +to come to a decision. I +consent then, for the present, to live +with you, and the woman to whom +<a name="Page_138" id="Page_138"></a>you have associated yourself. I think +it important that you should learn habitually +to feel for your child the affection +of a father. But, if you reject this +proposal, here we end. You are now +free. We will correspond no more. +We will have no intercourse of any +kind. I will be to you as a person that +is dead."</p> + +<p>The proposal she made, extraordinary +and injudicious as it was, was at first +accepted; and Mr. Imlay took her +accordingly, to look at a house he was +upon the point of hiring, that she +might judge whether it was calculated +to please her. Upon second thoughts +however he retracted his concession.</p> + +<p>In the following month, Mr. Imlay, +and the woman with whom he was at +present connected, went to Paris, where +they remained three months. Mary +<a name="Page_139" id="Page_139"></a>had, previously to this, fixed herself in +a lodging in Finsbury-place, where, for +some time, she saw scarcely any one +but Mrs. Christie, for the sake of whose +neighbourhood she had chosen this +situation; "existing," as she expressed +it, "in a living tomb, and her life but +an exercise of fortitude, continually on +the stretch."</p> + +<p>Thus circumstanced, it was unavoidable +for her thoughts to brood upon a +passion, which all that she had suffered +had not yet been able to extinguish. +Accordingly, as soon as Mr. Imlay returned +to England, she could not restrain +herself from making another +effort, and desiring to see him once +more. "During his absence, affection +had led her to make numberless excuses +for his conduct," and she probably wished +to believe that his present connection +<a name="Page_140" id="Page_140"></a>was, as he represented it, purely of a +casual nature. To this application, +she observes, that "he returned no other +answer, except declaring, with unjustifiable +passion, that he would not see her."</p> + +<p>This answer, though, at the moment, +highly irritating to Mary, was not the +ultimate close of the affair. Mr. +Christie was connected in business with +Mr. Imlay, at the same time that the +house of Mr. Christie was the only one +at which Mary habitually visited. The +consequence of this was, that, when +Mr. Imlay had been already more than +a fortnight in town, Mary called at +Mr. Christie's one evening, at a time +when Mr. Imlay was in the parlour. +The room was full of company. Mrs. +Christie heard Mary's voice in the passage, +and hastened to her, to intreat +her not to make her appearance. Mary +<a name="Page_141" id="Page_141"></a>however was not to be controlled. She +thought, as she afterwards told me, +that it was not consistent with conscious +rectitude, that she should shrink, +as if abashed, from the presence of one +by whom she deemed herself injured. +Her child was with her. She entered; +and, in a firm manner, immediately led +up the child, now near two years of +age, to the knees of its father. He +retired with Mary into another apartment, +and promised to dine with her +at her lodging, I believe, the next day.</p> + +<p>In the interview which took place in +consequence of this appointment, he +expressed himself to her in friendly +terms, and in a manner calculated to +sooth her despair. Though he could +conduct himself, when absent from her, +in a way which she censured as unfeeling; +this species of sternness constantly +<a name="Page_142" id="Page_142"></a>expired when he came into her presence. +Mary was prepared at this moment +to catch at every phantom of +happiness; and the gentleness of his +carriage, was to her as a sun-beam, +awakening the hope of returning day. +For an instant she gave herself up to +delusive visions; and, even after the +period of delirium expired, she still +dwelt, with an aching eye, upon the +air-built and unsubstantial prospect of +a reconciliation.</p> + +<p>At his particular request, she retained +the name of Imlay, which, a short time +before, he had seemed to dispute with +her. "It was not," as she expresses +herself in a letter to a friend, "for the +world that she did so—not in the least—but +she was unwilling to cut the Gordian +knot, or tear herself away in appearance, +when she could not in reality".</p> + +<p><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143"></a>The day after this interview, she set +out upon a visit to the country, where +she spent nearly the whole of the month +of March. It was, I believe, while +she was upon this visit, that some epistolary +communication with Mr. Imlay, +induced her resolutely to expel from +her mind, all remaining doubt as to the +issue of the affair.</p> + +<p>Mary was now aware that every +demand of forbearance towards him, +of duty to her child, and even of indulgence +to her own deep-rooted predilection, +was discharged. She determined +to rouse herself, and cast off for +ever an attachment, which to her had +been a spring of inexhaustible bitterness. +Her present residence among +the scenes of nature, was favourable +to this purpose. She was at the house +of an old and intimate friend, a lady of +<a name="Page_144" id="Page_144"></a>the name of Cotton, whose partiality +for her was strong and sincere. Mrs. +Cotton's nearest neighbour was Sir +William East, baronet; and, from the +joint effect of the kindness of her +friend, and the hospitable and distinguishing +attentions of this respectable +family, she derived considerable benefit. +She had been amused and interested in +her journey to Norway; but with this +difference, that, at that time, her mind +perpetually returned with trembling +anxiety to conjectures respecting Mr. +Imlay's future conduct, whereas now, +with a lofty and undaunted spirit, she +threw aside every thought that recurred +to him, while she felt herself called +upon to make one more effort for life +and happiness.</p> + +<p>Once after this, to my knowledge, +she saw Mr. Imlay; probably, not long +<a name="Page_145" id="Page_145"></a>after her return to town. They met +by accident upon the New Road; he +alighted from his horse, and walked +with her for some time; and the rencounter +passed, as she assured me, +without producing in her any oppressive +emotion.</p> + +<p>Be it observed, by the way, and I +may be supposed best to have known +the real state of the case, she never +spoke of Mr. Imlay with acrimony, +and was displeased when any person, in +her hearing, expressed contempt of him. +She was characterised by a strong sense +of indignation; but her emotions of +this sort were short-lived, and in no +long time subsided into a dignified sereneness +and equanimity.</p> + +<p>The question of her connection with +Mr. Imlay, as we have seen, was not +completely dismissed, till March<a name="Page_146" id="Page_146"></a> +1796. But it is worthy to be observed, +that she did not, like ordinary +persons under extreme anguish of +mind, suffer her understanding, in the +mean time, to sink into listlessness and +debility. The most inapprehensive +reader may conceive what was the +mental torture she endured, when he +considers, that she was twice, with an +interval of four months, from the end +of May to the beginning of October, +prompted by it to purposes of suicide. +Yet in this period she wrote her Letters +from Norway. Shortly after its expiration +she prepared them for the press, +and they were published in the close of +that year. In January 1796, she finished +the sketch of a comedy, which turns, +in the serious scenes, upon the incidents +of her own story. It was offered +to both the winter-managers, and <a name="Page_147" id="Page_147"></a>remained +among her papers at the period +of her decease; but it appeared to me +to be in so crude and imperfect a state, +that I judged it most respectful to her +memory to commit it to the flames. +To understand this extraordinary degree +of activity, we must recollect however +the entire solitude, in which most +of her hours were at that time consumed.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148"></a></p> +<h2><a name="CHAP_IX" id="CHAP_IX"></a>CHAP. IX.</h2> + +<h3>1796, 1797.</h3> + + +<p>I am now led, by the progress of the +story, to the last branch of her history, +the connection between Mary and myself. +And this I shall relate with the +same simplicity that has pervaded every +other part of my narrative. If there +ever were any motives of prudence or +delicacy, that could impose a qualification +upon the story, they are now +over. They could have no relation +but to factitious rules of decorum.<a name="Page_149" id="Page_149"></a> +There are no circumstances of her life, +that, in the judgment of honour and +reason, could brand her with disgrace. +Never did there exist a human being, +that needed, with less fear, expose all +their actions, and call upon the universe +to judge them. An event of the +most deplorable sort, has awfully imposed +silence upon the gabble of frivolity.</p> + +<p>We renewed our acquaintance in +January 1796, but with no particular +effect, except so far as sympathy in +her anguish, added in my mind to the +respect I had always entertained for +her talents. It was in the close of +that month that I read her Letters from +Norway; and the impression that book +produced upon me has been already +related.</p> + +<p>It was on the fourteenth of April +<a name="Page_150" id="Page_150"></a>that I first saw her after her excursion +into Berkshire. On that day she called +upon me in Somers Town, she +having, since her return, taken a lodging +in Cumming-street, Pentonville, at +no great distance from the place of +my habitation. From that time our +intimacy increased, by regular, but almost +imperceptible degrees.</p> + +<p>The partiality we conceived for each +other, was in that mode, which I have +always regarded as the purest and most +refined style of love. It grew with +equal advances in the mind of each. +It would have been impossible for the +most minute observer to have said +who was before, and who was after. +One sex did not take the priority +which long-established custom has +awarded it, nor the other overstep that +delicacy which is so severely imposed.<a name="Page_151" id="Page_151"></a> +I am not conscious that either party +can assume to have been the agent or +the patient, the toil-spreader or the +prey, in the affair. When, in the +course of things, the disclosure came, +there was nothing, in a manner, for +either party to disclose to the other.</p> + +<p>In July 1796 I made an excursion +into the county of Norfolk, which occupied +nearly the whole of that month. +During this period Mary removed, +from Cumming-street, Pentonville, to +Judd place West, which may be considered +as the extremity of Somers +Town. In the former situation, she +had occupied a furnished lodging. She +had meditated a tour to Italy or Switzerland, +and knew not how soon she +should set out with that view. Now +however she felt herself reconciled to +a longer abode in England, probably +<a name="Page_152" id="Page_152"></a>without exactly knowing why this +change had taken place in her mind. +She had a quantity of furniture locked +up at a broker's ever since her residence +in Store-street, and she now found it +adviseable to bring it into use. This +circumstance occasioned her present +removal.</p> + +<p>The temporary separation attendant +on my little journey, had its effect on +the mind of both parties. It gave +a space for the maturing of inclination. +I believe that, during this interval, +each furnished to the other the +principal topic of solitary and daily +contemplation. Absence bestows a +refined and aërial delicacy upon affection, +which it with difficulty acquires +in any other way. It seems to resemble +the communication of spirits, <a name="Page_153" id="Page_153"></a>without +the medium, or the impediment, +of this earthly frame.</p> + +<p>When we met again, we met with +new pleasure, and, I may add, with a +more decisive preference for each +other. It was however three weeks +longer, before the sentiment which +trembled upon the tongue, burst from +the lips of either. There was, as I +have already said, no period of throes +and resolute explanation attendant on +the tale. It was friendship melting +into love. Previously to our mutual +declaration, each felt half-assured, yet +each felt a certain trembling anxiety to +have assurance complete.</p> + +<p>Mary rested her head upon the +shoulder of her lover, hoping to find +a heart with which she might safely +treasure her world of affection; fearing +to commit a mistake, yet, in spite +<a name="Page_154" id="Page_154"></a>of her melancholy experience, fraught +with that generous confidence, which, +in a great soul, is never extinguished. +I had never loved till now; or, at least, +had never nourished a passion to the +same growth, or met with an object +so consummately worthy.</p> + +<p>We did not marry. It is difficult to +recommend any thing to indiscriminate +adoption, contrary to the established +rules and prejudices of mankind; +but certainly nothing can be so +ridiculous upon the face of it, or so +contrary to the genuine march of sentiment, +as to require the overflowing +of the soul to wait upon a ceremony, +and that which, wherever delicacy +and imagination exist, is of all things +most sacredly private, to blow a trumpet +before it, and to record the <a name="Page_155" id="Page_155"></a>moment +when it has arrived at its climax.</p> + +<p>There were however other reasons +why we did not immediately marry. +Mary felt an entire conviction of the +propriety of her conduct. It would +be absurd to suppose that, with a heart +withered by desertion, she was not +right to give way to the emotions of +kindness which our intimacy produced, +and to seek for that support in +friendship and affection, which could +alone give pleasure to her heart, and +peace to her meditations. It was only +about six months since she had resolutely +banished every thought of Mr. Imlay; +but it was at least eighteen that he +ought to have been banished, and +would have been banished, had it not +been for her scrupulous pertinacity in +determining to leave no measure untried +<a name="Page_156" id="Page_156"></a>to regain him. Add to this, that the +laws of etiquette ordinarily laid down +in these cases, are essentially absurd, +and that the sentiments of the heart +cannot submit to be directed by the +rule and the square. But Mary had an +extreme aversion to be made the topic +of vulgar discussion; and, if there be +any weakness in this, the dreadful trials +through which she had recently passed, +may well plead in its excuse. She felt +that she had been too much, and too +rudely spoken of, in the former instance; +and she could not resolve to do +any thing that should immediately revive +that painful topic.</p> + +<p>For myself, it is certain that I had +for many years regarded marriage with +so well-grounded an apprehension, that, +notwithstanding the partiality for Mary +that had taken possession of my soul, I +<a name="Page_157" id="Page_157"></a>should have felt it very difficult, at least +in the present stage of our intercourse, +to have resolved on such a measure. +Thus, partly from similar, and partly +from different motives, we felt alike in +this, as we did perhaps in every other +circumstance that related to our intercourse.</p> + +<p>I have nothing further that I find it +necessary to record, till the commencement +of April 1797. We then judged +it proper to declare our marriage, +which had taken place a little before. +The principal motive for complying +with this ceremony, was the circumstance +of Mary's being in a state of +pregnancy. She was unwilling, and +perhaps with reason, to incur that exclusion +from the society of many valuable +and excellent individuals, which +custom awards in cases of this sort. I +<a name="Page_158" id="Page_158"></a>should have felt an extreme repugnance +to the having caused her such an inconvenience. +And, after the experiment +of seven months of as intimate +an intercourse as our respective modes +of living would admit, there was certainly +less hazard to either, in the subjecting +ourselves to those consequences +which the laws of England annex to +the relations of husband and wife. On +the sixth of April we entered into possession +of a house, which had been taken +by us in concert.</p> + +<p>In this place I have a very curious circumstance +to notice, which I am happy +to have occasion to mention, as it tends +to expose certain regulations of polished +society, of which the absurdity vies with +the odiousness. Mary had long possessed +the advantage of an acquaintance +<a name="Page_159" id="Page_159"></a>with many persons of genius, and with +others whom the effects of an intercourse +with elegant society, combined +with a certain portion of information +and good sense, sufficed to render amusing +companions. She had lately extended +the circle of her acquaintance +in this respect; and her mind, trembling +between the opposite impressions +of past anguish and renovating tranquillity, +found ease in this species of recreation. +Wherever Mary appeared, admiration +attended upon her. She had +always displayed talents for conversation; +but maturity of understanding, +her travels, her long residence in France, +the discipline of affliction, and the smiling, +new-born peace which awaked a corresponding +smile in her animated countenance, +inexpressibly increased them. +The way in which the story of Mr. <a name="Page_160" id="Page_160"></a>Imlay +was treated in these polite circles, +was probably the result of the partiality +she excited. These elegant personages +were divided between their cautious +adherence to forms, and the desire to +seek their own gratification. Mary +made no secret of the nature of her +connection with Mr. Imlay; and in one +instance, I well know, she put herself +to the trouble of explaining it to a person +totally indifferent to her, because +he never failed to publish every thing +he knew, and, she was sure, would repeat +her explanation to his numerous +acquaintance. She was of too proud +and generous a spirit to stoop to hypocrisy. +These persons however, in spite +of all that could be said, persisted in +shutting their eyes, and pretending they +took her for a married woman.</p> + +<p>Observe the consequence of this!<a name="Page_161" id="Page_161"></a> +While she was, and constantly professed +to be, an unmarried mother; she was +fit society for the squeamish and the +formal. The moment she acknowledged +herself a wife, and that by a +marriage perhaps unexceptionable, the +case was altered. Mary and myself, +ignorant as we were of these elevated +refinements, supposed that our marriage +would place her upon a surer footing in +the calendar of polished society, than +ever. But it forced these people to see +the truth, and to confess their belief of +what they had carefully been told; and +this they could not forgive. Be it remarked, +that the date of our marriage +had nothing to do with this, that question +being never once mentioned during +this period. Mary indeed had, +till now, retained the name of Imlay +which had first been assumed from <a name="Page_162" id="Page_162"></a>necessity +in France; but its being retained +thus long, was purely from the aukwardness +that attends the introduction +of a change, and not from an apprehension +of consequences of this sort. Her +scrupulous explicitness as to the nature +of her situation, surely sufficed to make +the name she bore perfectly immaterial.</p> + +<p>It is impossible to relate the particulars +of such a story, but in the language +of contempt and ridicule. A serious +reflection however upon the whole, +ought to awaken emotions of a different +sort. Mary retained the most +numerous portion of her acquaintance, +and the majority of those whom she +principally valued. It was only the +supporters and the subjects of the unprincipled +manners of a court, that she +lost. This however is immaterial. The +tendency of the proceeding, strictly +<a name="Page_163" id="Page_163"></a>considered, and uniformly acted upon, +would have been to proscribe her from +all valuable society. And who was +the person proscribed? The firmest +champion, and, as I strongly suspect, +the greatest ornament her sex ever had +to boast! A woman, with sentiments +as pure, as refined, and as delicate, as +ever inhabited a human heart! It is +fit that such persons should stand by, +that we may have room enough for the +dull and insolent dictators, the gamblers +and demireps of polished society!</p> + +<p>Two of the persons, the loss of whose +acquaintance Mary principally regretted +upon this occasion, were Mrs. Inchbald +and Mrs. Siddons. Their acquaintance, +it is perhaps fair to observe, +is to be ranked among her recent +acquisitions. Mrs. Siddons, I am sure, +regretted the necessity, which she <a name="Page_164" id="Page_164"></a>conceived +to be imposed on her by the +peculiarity of her situation, to conform +to the rules I have described. She is +endowed with that rich and generous +sensibility, which should best enable +its possessor completely to feel the +merits of her deceased friend. She +very truly observes, in a letter now before +me, that the Travels in Norway +were read by no one, who was in possession +of "more reciprocity of feeling, +or more deeply impressed with admiration +of the writer's extraordinary +powers."</p> + +<p>Mary felt a transitory pang, when +the conviction reached her of so unexpected +a circumstance, that was rather +exquisite. But she disdained to sink +under the injustice (as this ultimately +was) of the supercilious and the foolish, +and presently shook off the impression +<a name="Page_165" id="Page_165"></a>of the first surprize. That once subsided, +I well know that the event was +thought of, with no emotions, but those +of superiority to the injustice she sustained; +and was not of force enough, +to diminish a happiness, which seemed +hourly to become more vigorous +and firm.</p> + +<p>I think I may venture to say, that no +two persons ever found in each other's +society, a satisfaction more pure and +refined. What it was in itself, can +now only be known, in its full extent, +to the survivor. But, I believe, the +serenity of her countenance, the increasing +sweetness of her manners, and +that consciousness of enjoyment that +seemed ambitious that every one she +saw should be happy as well as herself, +were matters of general observation to +all her acquaintance. She had always +<a name="Page_166" id="Page_166"></a>possessed, in an unparalleled degree, the +art of communicating happiness, and +she was now in the constant and unlimited +exercise of it. She seemed to +have attained that situation, which +her disposition and character imperiously +demanded, but which she had +never before attained; and her understanding +and her heart felt the benefit +of it.</p> + +<p>While we lived as near neighbours +only, and before our last removal, her +mind had attained considerable tranquillity, +and was visited but seldom +with those emotions of anguish, which +had been but too familiar to her. But +the improvement in this respect, which +accrued upon our removal and establishment, +was extremely obvious. She +was a worshipper of domestic life. +She loved to observe the growth of +<a name="Page_167" id="Page_167"></a>affection between me and her daughter, +then three years of age, as well as my +anxiety respecting the child not yet +born. Pregnancy itself, unequal as the +decree of nature seems to be in this respect, +is the source of a thousand endearments. +No one knew better than +Mary how to extract sentiments of exquisite +delight, from trifles, which a +suspicious and formal wisdom would +scarcely deign to remark. A little +ride into the country with myself and +the child, has sometimes produced a +sort of opening of the heart, a general +expression of confidence and affectionate +soul, a sort of infantine, yet dignified +endearment, which those who +have felt may understand, but which I +should in vain attempt to pourtray.</p> + +<p>In addition to our domestic pleasures, +I was fortunate enough to introduce her +<a name="Page_168" id="Page_168"></a>to some of my acquaintance of both +sexes, to whom she attached herself +with all the ardour of approbation and +friendship.</p> + +<p>Ours was not an idle happiness, a +paradise of selfish and transitory pleasures. +It is perhaps scarcely necessary +to mention, that, influenced by the +ideas I had long entertained upon the +subject of cohabitation, I engaged an +apartment, about twenty doors from +our house in the Polygon, Somers Town, +which I designed for the purpose of my +study and literary occupations. Trifles +however will be interesting to some +readers, when they relate to the last period +of the life of such a person as Mary. +I will add therefore, that we were both +of us of opinion, that it was possible +for two persons to be too uniformly in +each other's society. Influenced by +<a name="Page_169" id="Page_169"></a>that opinion, it was my practice to +repair to the apartment I have mentioned +as soon as I rose, and frequently +not to make my appearance in the +Polygon, till the hour of dinner. We +agreed in condemning the notion, prevalent +in many situations in life, that +a man and his wife cannot visit in mixed +society, but in company with each +other; and we rather sought occasions +of deviating from, than of complying +with, this rule. By these means, though, +for the most part, we spent the latter +half of each day in one another's society, +yet we were in no danger of +satiety. We seemed to combine, in a +considerable degree, the novelty and +lively sensation of visit, with the more +delicious and heart-felt pleasures of +domestic life.</p> + +<p>Whatever may be thought, in other +<a name="Page_170" id="Page_170"></a>respects, of the plan we laid down to +ourselves, we probably derived a real +advantage from it, as to the constancy +and uninterruptedness of our literary +pursuits. Mary had a variety of projects +of this sort, for the exercise of +her talents, and the benefit of society; +and, if she had lived, I believe +the world would have had very little +reason to complain of any remission of +her industry. One of her projects, +which has been already mentioned, was +of a series of Letters on the Management +of Infants. Though she had been +for some time digesting her ideas +on this subject with a view to the +press, I have found comparatively nothing +that she had committed to paper +respecting it. Another project, of +longer standing, was of a series of +books for the instruction of children.<a name="Page_171" id="Page_171"></a> +A fragment she left in execution of +this project, is inserted in her Posthumous +Works.</p> + +<p>But the principal work, in which she +was engaged for more than twelve +months before her decease, was a novel, +entitled, The Wrongs of Woman. I +shall not stop here to explain the nature +of the work, as so much of it as +was already written, is now given to +the public. I shall only observe that, +impressed, as she could not fail to be, +with the consciousness of her talents, +she was desirous, in this instance, that +they should effect what they were capable +of effecting. She was sensible how +arduous a task it is to produce a truly +excellent novel; and she roused her +faculties to grapple with it. All her +other works were produced with a +rapidity, that did not give her powers +<a name="Page_172" id="Page_172"></a>time fully to expand. But this was +written slowly and with mature consideration. +She began it in several +forms, which she successively rejected, +after they were considerably advanced. +She wrote many parts of the work +again and again, and, when she had +finished what she intended for the first +part, she felt herself more urgently +stimulated to revise and improve what +she had written, than to proceed, with +constancy of application, in the parts +that were to follow.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173"></a></p> +<h2><a name="CHAP_X" id="CHAP_X"></a>CHAP. X.</h2> + + +<p>I am now led, by the course of my +narrative, to the last fatal scene of her +life. She was taken in labour on +Wednesday, the thirtieth of August. +She had been somewhat indisposed on +the preceding Friday, the consequence, +I believe, of a sudden alarm. But +from that time she was in perfect health. +She was so far from being under any +apprehension as to the difficulties of +child-birth, as frequently to ridicule +<a name="Page_174" id="Page_174"></a>the fashion of ladies in England, who +keep their chamber for one full month +after delivery. For herself, she proposed +coming down to dinner on the +day immediately following. She had +already had some experience on the +subject in the case of Fanny; and I +cheerfully submitted in every point to +her judgment and her wisdom. She +hired no nurse. Influenced by ideas +of decorum, which certainly ought to +have no place, at least in cases of danger, +she determined to have a woman +to attend her in the capacity of midwife. +She was sensible that the proper +business of a midwife, in the instance +of a natural labour, is to sit by +and wait for the operations of nature, +which seldom, in these affairs, demand +the interposition of art.</p> + +<p>At five o'clock in the morning of the +<a name="Page_175" id="Page_175"></a>day of delivery, she felt what she conceived +to be some notices of the approaching +labour. Mrs. Blenkinsop, +matron and midwife to the Westminster +Lying in Hospital, who had seen +Mary several times previous to her delivery, +was soon after sent for, and arrived +about nine. During the whole +day Mary was perfectly cheerful. Her +pains came on slowly; and, in the +morning, she wrote several notes, three +addressed to me, who had gone, as +usual, to my apartments, for the purpose +of study. About two o'clock in the +afternoon, she went up to her chamber,—never +more to descend.</p> + +<p>The child was born at twenty minutes +after eleven at night. Mary had +requested that I would not come into +the chamber till all was over, and signified +her intention of then <a name="Page_176" id="Page_176"></a>performing +the interesting office of presenting +the new-born child to its father. I was +sitting in a parlour; and it was not till +after two o'clock on Thursday morning, +that I received the alarming intelligence, +that the placenta was not yet +removed, and that the midwife dared +not proceed any further, and gave her +opinion for calling in a male practitioner. +I accordingly went for Dr. Poignand, +physician and man-midwife to the same +hospital, who arrived between three +and four hours after the birth of the +child. He immediately proceeded to +the extraction of the placenta, which +he brought away in pieces, till he was +satisfied that the whole was removed. +In that point however it afterwards +appeared that he was mistaken.</p> + +<p>The period from the birth of the +child till about eight o'clock the next +<a name="Page_177" id="Page_177"></a>morning, was a period full of peril and +alarm. The loss of blood was considerable, +and produced an almost uninterrupted +series of fainting fits. I went +to the chamber soon after four in the +morning, and found her in this state. +She told me some time on Thursday, +"that she should have died the preceding +night, but that she was determined +not to leave me." She added, with one +of those smiles which so eminently illuminated +her countenance, "that I +should not be like Porson," alluding to +the circumstance of that great man having +lost his wife, after being only a few +months married. Speaking of what +she had already passed through, she declared, +"that she had never known +what bodily pain was before."</p> + +<p>On Thursday morning Dr. Poignand +repeated his visit. Mary had just<a name="Page_178" id="Page_178"></a> before +expressed some inclination to see +Dr. George Fordyce, a man probably +of more science than any other medical +professor in England, and between +whom and herself there had long subsisted +a mutual friendship. I mentioned +this to Dr. Poignand, but he rather discountenanced +the idea, observing that +he saw no necessity for it, and that he +supposed Dr. Fordyce was not particularly +conversant with obstetrical cases; +but that I would do as I pleased. After +Dr. Poignand was gone, I determined +to send for Dr. Fordyce. He accordingly +saw the patient about three o'clock +on Thursday afternoon. He however +perceived no particular cause of alarm; +and, on that or the next day, quoted, +as I am told, Mary's case, in a mixed +company, as a <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'corrobation'">corroboration</ins> of a favourite +idea of his, of the propriety of <a name="Page_179" id="Page_179"></a>employing +females in the capacity of midwives. +Mary "had had a woman, and +was doing extremely well."</p> + +<p>What had passed however in the +night between Wednesday and Thursday, +had so far alarmed me, that I did +not quit the house, and scarcely the +chamber, during the following day. +But my alarms wore off, as time advanced. +Appearances were more favourable, +than the exhausted state of +the patient would almost have permitted +me to expect. Friday morning +therefore I devoted to a business of +some urgency, which called me to different +parts of the town, and which, +before dinner, I happily completed. +On my return, and during the evening, +I received the most pleasurable sensations +from the promising state of the +patient. I was now perfectly satisfied +<a name="Page_180" id="Page_180"></a>that every thing was safe, and that, if +she did not take cold, or suffer from +any external accident, her speedy recovery +was certain.</p> + +<p>Saturday was a day less auspicious +than Friday, but not absolutely alarming.</p> + +<p>Sunday, the third of September, I +now regard as the day, that finally decided +on the fate of the object dearest +to my heart that the universe contained. +Encouraged by what I considered +as the progress of her recovery, I accompanied +a friend in the morning in +several calls, one of them as far as +Kensington, and did not return till +dinner-time. On my return I found a +degree of anxiety in every face, and +was told that she had had a sort of +shivering fit, and had expressed some +anxiety at the length of my absence.<a name="Page_181" id="Page_181"></a> +My sister and a friend of hers, had been +engaged to dine below stairs, but a +message was sent to put them off, and +Mary ordered that the cloth should not +be laid, as usual, in the room immediately +under her on the first floor, but +in the ground-floor parlour. I felt a +pang at having been so long and so unseasonably +absent, and determined that +I would not repeat the fault.</p> + +<p>In the evening she had a second +shivering fit, the symptoms of which +were in the highest degree alarming. +Every muscle of the body trembled, +the teeth chattered, and the bed shook +under her. This continued probably +for five minutes. She told me, after it +was over, that it had been a struggle +between life and death, and that she +had been more than once, in the course +of it, at the point of expiring. I now +<a name="Page_182" id="Page_182"></a>apprehend these to have been the symptoms +of a decided mortification, occasioned +by the part of the placenta that +remained in the womb. At the time +however I was far from considering it +in that light. When I went for Dr. +Poignand, between two and three +o'clock on the morning of Thursday, +despair was in my heart. The fact of +the adhesion of the placenta was stated +to me; and, ignorant as I was of obstetrical +science, I felt as if the death of +Mary was in a manner decided. But +hope had re-visited my bosom; and her +chearings were so delightful, that I +hugged her obstinately to my heart. +I was only mortified at what appeared +to me a new delay in the recovery I so +earnestly longed for. I immediately +sent for Dr. Fordyce, who had been +with her in the morning, as well as on +<a name="Page_183" id="Page_183"></a>the three preceding days. Dr. Poignand +had also called this morning +but declined paying any further visits, +as we had thought proper to call in +Dr. Fordyce.</p> + +<p>The progress of the disease was now +uninterrupted. On Tuesday I found +it necessary again to call in Dr. Fordyce +in the afternoon, who brought with +him Dr. Clarke of New Burlington-street, +under the idea that some operation +might be necessary. I have already +said, that I pertinaciously persisted in +viewing the fair side of things; and +therefore the interval between Sunday +and Tuesday evening, did not pass +without some mixture of cheerfulness. +On Monday, Dr. Fordyce +forbad the child's having the breast, +and we therefore procured puppies to +draw off the milk. This occasioned +<a name="Page_184" id="Page_184"></a>some pleasantry of Mary with me and +the other attendants. Nothing could +exceed the equanimity, the patience +and affectionateness of the poor sufferer. +I intreated her to recover; I dwelt with +trembling fondness on every favourable +circumstance; and, as far it was possible +in so dreadful a situation, she, by her +smiles and kind speeches, rewarded my +affection.</p> + +<p>Wednesday was to me the day of +greatest torture in the melancholy series. +It was now decided that the only chance +of supporting her through what she +had to suffer, was by supplying her +rather freely with wine. This task was +devolved upon me. I began about +four o'clock in the afternoon. But +for me, totally ignorant of the nature +of diseases and of the human +frame, thus to play with a life that now +<a name="Page_185" id="Page_185"></a>seemed all that was dear to me in the +universe, was too dreadful a task. I +knew neither what was too much, nor +what was too little. Having begun, I +felt compelled, under every disadvantage, +to go on. This lasted for three +hours. Towards the end of that time, +I happened foolishly to ask the servant +who came out of the room, "What +she thought of her mistress?" she replied, +"that, in her judgment, she was +going as fast as possible." There are +moments, when any creature that lives, +has power to drive one into madness. +I seemed to know the absurdity of +this reply; but that was of no consequence. +It added to the measure of +my distraction. A little after seven I +intreated a friend to go for Mr. Carlisle, +and bring him instantly wherever he +was to be found. He had voluntarily +<a name="Page_186" id="Page_186"></a>called on the patient on the preceding +Saturday, and two or three times since. +He had seen her that morning, and +had been earnest in recommending the +wine-diet. That day he dined four +miles out of town, on the side of the +metropolis, which was furthest from us. +Notwithstanding this, my friend returned +with him after three-quarters of +an hour's absence. No one who knows +my friend, will wonder either at his +eagerness or success, when I name Mr. +Basil Montagu. The sight of Mr. Carlisle +thus unexpectedly, gave me a +stronger alleviating sensation, than I +thought it possible to experience.</p> + +<p>Mr. Carlisle left us no more from +Wednesday evening, to the hour of her +death. It was impossible to exceed +his kindness and affectionate attention. +It excited in every spectator a <a name="Page_187" id="Page_187"></a>sentiment +like adoration. His conduct was +uniformly tender and anxious, ever +upon the watch, observing every symptom, +and eager to improve every favourable +appearance. If skill or attention +could have saved her, Mary would +still live. In addition to Mr. Carlisle's +constant presence, she had Dr. Fordyce +and Dr. Clarke every day. She had +for nurses, or rather for friends, watching +every occasion to serve her, Mrs. +Fenwick, author of an excellent novel, +entitled Secrecy, another very kind and +judicious lady, and a favourite female +servant. I was scarcely ever out of +the room. Four friends, Mr. Fenwick, +Mr. Basil Montagu, Mr. Marshal, and +Mr. Dyson, sat up nearly the whole of +the last week of her existence in the +house, to be dispatched, on any errand, +to any part of the metropolis, at a +moment's warning.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188"></a>Mr. Carlisle being in the chamber, I +retired to bed for a few hours on Wednesday +night. Towards morning he +came into my room with an account +that the patient was surprisingly better. +I went instantly into the chamber. +But I now sought to suppress +every idea of hope. The greatest anguish +I have any conception of, consists +in that crushing of a new-born hope +which I had already two or three times +experienced. If Mary recovered, it +was well, and I should see it time +enough. But it was too mighty a +thought to bear being trifled with, and +turned out and admitted in this abrupt +way.</p> + +<p>I had reason to rejoice in the firmness +of my gloomy thoughts, when, about +ten o'clock on Thursday evening, Mr. +Carlisle told us to prepare ourselves, for +<a name="Page_189" id="Page_189"></a>we had reason to expect the fatal event +every moment. To my thinking, she +did not appear to be in that state of +total exhaustion, which I supposed to +precede death; but it is probable that +death does not always take place by +that gradual process I had pictured to +myself; a sudden pang may accelerate +his arrival. She did not die on Thursday +night.</p> + +<p>Till now it does not appear that she +had any serious thoughts of dying; +but on Friday and Saturday, the two +last days of her life, she occasionally +spoke as if she expected it. This was +however only at intervals; the thought +did not seem to dwell upon her mind. +Mr. Carlisle rejoiced in this. He observed, +and there is great force in the +suggestion, that there is no more pitiable +object, than a sick man, that knows +<a name="Page_190" id="Page_190"></a>he is dying. The thought must be expected +to destroy his courage, to co-operate +with the disease, and to counteract +every favourable effort of nature.</p> + +<p>On these two days her faculties were +in too decayed a state, to be able to +follow any train of ideas with force or +any accuracy of connection. Her religion, +as I have already shown, was +not calculated to be the torment of a +sick bed; and, in fact, during her whole +illness, not one word of a religious cast +fell from her lips.</p> + +<p>She was affectionate and compliant +to the last. I observed on Friday and +Saturday nights, that, whenever her +attendants recommended to her to +sleep, she discovered her willingness to +yield, by breathing, perhaps for the +space of a minute, in the manner of a +person that sleeps, though the effort, +<a name="Page_191" id="Page_191"></a>from the state of her disorder, usually +proved ineffectual.</p> + +<p>She was not tormented by useless +contradiction. One night the servant, +from an error in judgment, teazed her +with idle expostulations, but she complained +of it grievously, and it was +corrected. "Pray, pray, do not let +her reason with me," was her expression. +Death itself is scarcely so dreadful +to the enfeebled frame, as the monotonous +importunity of nurses ever-lastingly +repeated.</p> + +<p>Seeing that every hope was extinct, +I was very desirous of obtaining from +her any directions, that she might wish +to have followed after her decease. +Accordingly, on Saturday morning, I +talked to her for a good while of the +two children. In conformity to Mr. +Carlisle's maxim of not impressing the +<a name="Page_192" id="Page_192"></a>idea of death, I was obliged to manage +my expressions. I therefore affected to +proceed wholly upon the ground of her +having been very ill, and that it would +be some time before she could expect +to be well; wishing her to tell me any +thing that she would choose to have +done respecting the children, as they +would now be principally under my +care. After having repeated this idea +to her in a great variety of forms, she +at length said, with a significant tone +of voice, "I know what you are thinking +of," but added, that she had nothing +to communicate to me upon the +subject.</p> + +<p>The shivering fits had ceased entirely +for the two last days. Mr. Carlisle observed +that her continuance was almost +miraculous, and he was on the watch +for favourable appearances, believing +<a name="Page_193" id="Page_193"></a>it highly improper to give up all hope, +and remarking, that perhaps one in a +million, of persons in her state might +possibly recover. I conceive that not +one in a million, unites so good a constitution +of body and of mind.</p> + +<p>These were the amusements of persons +in the very gulph of despair. At +six o'clock on Sunday morning, September +the tenth, Mr. Carlisle called +me from my bed to which I had retired +at one, in conformity to my request, +that I might not be left to receive +all at once the intelligence that +she was no more. She expired at +twenty minutes before eight.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Her remains were deposited, on the +fifteenth of September, at ten o'clock +in the morning, in the church-yard of +<a name="Page_194" id="Page_194"></a>the parish church of St. Pancras, Middlesex. +A few of the persons she most +esteemed, attended the ceremony; and +a plain monument is now erecting on +the spot, by some of her friends, with +the following inscription:</p> + +<p class="center"> +<span class="smcap">mary wollstonecraft godwin,</span> <br /> +<span class="smcap">author of</span> <br /> +<span class="smcap">a vindication</span> <br /> +<span class="smcap">of the rights of woman.</span> <br /> +<span class="smcap">born, XXVII april MDCCLIX.</span> <br /> +<span class="smcap">died, X september MDCCXCVII.</span><br /> +</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The loss of the world in this admirable +woman, I leave to other men to +collect; my own I well know, nor can +it be improper to describe it. I do not +here allude to the personal pleasures I +<a name="Page_195" id="Page_195"></a>enjoyed in her conversation: these increased +every day, in proportion as we +knew each other better, and as our +mutual confidence increased. They can +be measured only by the treasures of +her mind, and the virtues of her heart. +But this is a subject for meditation, not +for words. What I purposed alluding +to, was the improvement that I have +for ever lost.</p> + +<p>We had cultivated our powers (if I +may venture to use this sort of language) +in different directions; I chiefly an attempt +at logical and metaphysical distinction, +she a taste for the picturesque. +One of the leading passions of my mind +has been an anxious desire not to be +deceived. This has led me to view the +topics of my reflection on all sides; and +to examine and re-examine without +end, the questions that interest me.</p> + +<p><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196"></a>But it was not merely (to judge at +least from all the reports of my memory +in this respect) the difference of propensities, +that made the difference in +our intellectual habits. I have been +stimulated, as long as I can remember, +by an ambition for intellectual distinction; +but, as long as I can remember, +I have been discouraged, when I have +endeavoured to cast the sum of my intellectual +value, by finding that I did +not possess, in the degree of some other +men, an intuitive perception of intellectual +beauty. I have perhaps a +strong and lively sense of the pleasures +of the imagination; but I have seldom +been right in aligning to them their +proportionate value, but by dint of persevering +examination, and the change +and correction of my first opinions.</p> + +<p>What I wanted in this respect, Mary +<a name="Page_197" id="Page_197"></a>possessed, in a degree superior to any +other person I ever knew. The +strength of her mind lay in intuition. +She was often right, by this means +only, in matters of mere speculation. +Her religion, her philosophy, (in both +of which the errors were comparatively +few, and the strain dignified and generous) +were, as I have already said, the +pure result of feeling and taste. She +adopted one opinion, and rejected another, +spontaneously, by a sort of tact, +and the force of a cultivated imagination; +and yet, though perhaps, in +the strict sense of the term, she reasoned +little, it is surprising what a degree +of soundness is to be found in her +determinations. But, if this quality +was of use to her in topics that seem +the proper province of reasoning, it +was much more so in matters directly +<a name="Page_198" id="Page_198"></a>appealing to the intellectual taste. In +a robust and unwavering judgment of +this sort, there is a kind of witchcraft; +when it decides justly, it produces a +responsive vibration in every ingenuous +mind. In this sense, my oscillation and +scepticism were fixed by her boldness. +When a true opinion emanated in this +way from another mind, the conviction +produced in my own assumed a similar +character, instantaneous and firm. This +species of intellect probably differs from +the other, chiefly in the relation of +earlier and later. What the one perceives +instantaneously (circumstances +having produced in it, either a premature +attention to objects of this sort, or +a greater boldness of decision) the +other receives only by degrees. What +it wants, seems to be nothing more +than a minute attention to first <a name="Page_199" id="Page_199"></a>impressions, +and a just appreciation of +them; habits that are never so effectually +generated, as by the daily recurrence +of a striking example.</p> + +<p>This light was lent to me for a very +short period, and is now extinguished +for ever!</p> + +<p>While I have described the improvement +I was in the act of receiving, I +believe I have put down the leading +traits of her intellectual character.</p> + + +<h2><span class="smcap">the end.</span></h2> +<hr style="width: 95%;" /> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Memoirs of the Author of a Vindication +of the Rights of Woman, by William Godwin + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEMOIRS OF THE AUTHOR *** + +***** This file should be named 16199-h.htm or 16199-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/1/9/16199/ + +Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Melissa Er-Raqabi and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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