A TUTOR'S DIFFICULTIES.

37

severing nature of his endeavours. At the same time they display his faults as a teacher. He was too minute in his censures, too grave and severe in his instruction; at once too far divided from his pupil through want of sympathy, and too much on a level from the temper he put into his lectures."

The following notes in reference to Cooper are taken almost at random from Godwin's diary during the years that the boy remained under his roof.

"Give energy, and mental exertion will always have attraction enough.

"Not to impute affected ignorance, lequel n'existe pas. Not to impute dulness, stupidity.

"Suaviter, oh! suaviter, sed fortiter excita mentem.

"It is of no consequence whether a man of genius have learned either art or science before twenty-five: all that is necessary, or even desirable, is that his powers should be unfolded, his emulation roused, and his habits conducted into a right channel.

"He ought to love study, science, improvement.

"Is not his temper embittered by sternness? i.e., over-exactness in lessons and propensity to play the censor on trivial occasions? "Do not impute intentional error, lequel n'existe pas.

"It is now again probable that our connection will be permanent.”—This was written after a severe illness of Cooper's, during which it was thought probable that there were seeds of consumption in him which might necessitate his removal to a warmer climate.-"Let me, then, again aim at gentleness, kind. ness, cordiality.

"Chide him for rudeness and impertinence to Mr Marshal: am heard with great sensibility. The rudeness was public in the mercer's shop.

"Take from him the translation of Gil Blas, which I yesterday forbade him to procure. Geometria lacrimans. Takes a walk, being engaged, to the Society's room, Adelphi; comes home too late; does not choose to apologise; insist."

Another quarrel with Mr Marshal, who was at this time residing with Godwin, led to the following letter of apology, which shews the boy's disposition better than a hundred

comments :

Thomas Cooper to James Marshal.

"Sir,-I am convinced that I was wrong in not immediately desisting from that from which you desired me to desist; I therefore ask your pardon, and I shall endeavour to make amends for my misconduct by my future behaviour.

"We have lived, sir, for some time in the same house, and, I believe, with a certain degree of friendship and good understanding. I am sorry that that friendship and good understanding have received such a shock as they have done to-day. I was certainly wrong, as I have already said, in not complying with your desire; that non-compliance brought on high words, in course of which you directly called me a liar. You called me so, not by implication; you said, 'You are a liar.'

"I am glad that I have escaped doing that which your words naturally excited me to do. T. COOPER."

The same daily-and indeed hourly-squabbling lasted so long as Tom Cooper continued with Godwin, till Cooper was nearly seventeen; and he from time to time relieved his feelings and refreshed his memory by writing down his tutor's "pointed and humiliating words." Here is one such memorandum :

No proper feelings

"He has no enmity to my person, yet he hates me. I suppose he means by that that he does not think me very ugly," &c., &c.

This paper he, in a pet, addressed to Mr Godwin, and by design or accident put it in his way.

The following rough draft of a letter in reply throws much light on Godwin's character, and the wishes in respect to his ward by which he was guided:

William Godwin to Thomas Cooper.

"April 19, 1790.

"MY DEAR BOY.-I am more pleased than displeased with the paper I have just seen. It discovers a degree of sensibility that may be of the greatest use to you, though I will endeavour to convince you that it is wrongly applied. I was in hopes that it was written on purpose for me to see; for I love confidence, and there are some things that perhaps you could scarcely say to me by word of mouth. I have always endeavoured to persuade you to confidence, because you have not a friend upon earth that is more ardently desirous of your welfare than I, and you have not a friend so capable of advising and guiding you to what is most to your interest.

"This confidence would have been of use to you in what has lately passed; and its continuance would be of use to you in all your future life. If I had seen this paper before last Tuesday, what passed on that day would not have happened. But I am closely engaged in observing what passes through your mind, and I observed a sulkiness and obstinacy growing up in it. You said to yourself, 'When I behave ill, I am only reprimanded; and I do not mind that.' Thus when I have been endeavouring, in strong language, to point out your errors, and lead you to amend them,

you have been employed with all your might in counteracting the impression I sought to make.

"There is in this paper a degree of sensibility that has great merit. The love of independency and dislike of unjust treatment is the source of a thousand virtues. If while you are necessarily dependent on me I treat you with heaviness and unkindness, it is natural you should have a painful feeling of it.

"But harshness and unkindness are relative. The appearance of them may be the fruits of the greatest kindness. In fact, can my conduct towards you spring from any but an ardent desire to be of service to you? I am poor, and with considerable labour maintain my little family; yet I am willing to spend my money upon your wants and pleasures. My time is of the utmost value to me, yet I bestow a large portion of it upon your improvement. Supposing I should be mistaken in any part of my conduct towards you, can it spring from anything but motives of kindness? I ask for your confidence, because without it I am persuaded that I cannot do you half the good I could wish. It is not an idle curiosity. I care nothing about myself in this business. If I can contribute to make you virtuous and respectable hereafter, I do not care whether I then possess your friendship, I am contented you should hate me. I desire no gratitude, and no return of favours, I only wish to do you good. W. GODWIN."

The few letters which remain from Mrs Cooper to her son and to Godwin during this period are most touching. They present a sad picture of broken health, of humbled pride, of habits of intemperance resulting in part from her misery, against which the struggles were scarcely effectual, but there is no good gained by dissecting, as it were, a broken heart. What is here said may serve to account still further for the boy's proud, sensitive nature, and indeed to enhance the extreme kindness and forbearance of Godwin, though his judgment may sometimes have been in fault.

STROLLING PLAYERS.

4I

At the advice apparently of Holcroft, with the encouragement of Cook the actor, and Godwin's full approval, Tom Cooper determined to devote himself to the stage, but his earlier efforts met with scant success. The following letters record his impressions of John Kemble and Mrs Siddons, and his endeavours to gain a permanent stage engagement. They are all the remaining documents respecting him connected with our present period :—

Thomas Cooper to William Godwin.

"EDINBURGH, Thursday, July 27, 1792.

"I arrived here last night at nine, in high health and spirits, but my spirits were damped when upon my arrival I could get no bed nor lodging either at Edinburgh or Leith, on account of the races, which will end on Saturday. I went to Mr Kemble's this morning, at eleven, and he told me that at one he would hear me go through the character of Douglas. At one I went, but he left word (with his compliments) that he was obliged to go to Leith. To-morrow morning at twelve I am to rehearse with Mrs Siddons, and on Monday night am to make my first appearance in the character of Douglas. I am just returned to the inn from my second visit to Mr Kemble, to whom I went to know if I might not go to the play to-night. I am going, and Mrs Siddons plays Jane Shore. To-morrow the Road to Ruin is acted (not for the first time), to give some rest to Mrs S., who has acted several nights running. You will receive this Monday morning, and may expect another on Thursday or Friday, and so, hoping you will excuse bad writing on account of haste, I remain, yours everlastingly, T. COOPER.

I have just re

"Friday, two o'clock.-'Sdeath, I'm sped! hearsed Douglas with the other actors before Mr Kemble. When I had done he walked aside with me, and told me he was sorry to say that he could not trust me with the character. He then made his individual objections. He said that in two descriptive speeches