the banishment and explanation by means of the Friend I want you to draw the . You must not open any of the truth to Davley by means of a letter. A letter is a feeble messenger on the stage. Somebody, the son or his friend, must, as a coup de nurn, be exasperated, and obliged to tell the husband. Damn tre husband and his gentlemanlike qualities' Keep him out of sight or he will trouble a Let him be in England on trade, and come home as Biron does in Isabella, in the fourth act, when he is wanted. I am for introducing situations, sort of counterparts to situations, which have been tried in other plays—like but not She arme On this principle I recommended a friend like Horatio in the Far Fonitent and on this principle I recommend a setration Uke Othello, with relation to Desdemona's intercession for Cassic. Fy-scenes may kewise receive hints. The son may see his mother at a mask or feast, as Romeo, Juliet. The festivity of the company contrasts with the strong perturbations of the indivduds-Dawley may be told his wife's past unchastity at a mask by some witch-character-is Macbeth upon the heath, in dark sentences This may stir his brain, and be forgot, but come in 4.d of stronger proof bereafter. From this, what you will perhaps call whimsical way of counterparting, this honest stealing, and orginal mode of plagiarism, much yet. I think, remains to be sucked Excuse these abortions. I thought you would want the draught soen again, and I would not send it empty away.—Yours WILLIAM GODWIN!!! “SOMERS TOWN, 1*7 80%, 18017 In November of this year Godwin had intended making a trip to Paris. He was it may be presumed, still considered politically dangerous, for permission was refused, as appears by the following note :— M- Flint to William Godin “ALLEN OFFICE, 3 No. 1801. "Mr. Flirt presents his compliments to Mr Godwin, and is desired by Lord Pelham to acquaint him that he is extremely sorry he cannot at the present moment grant the passport Mr Godwin requests to enable him to go to Paris." Towards the end of December Godwin married Mrs Clairmont, at Shoreditch Church, the lady having probably taken lodgings in that parish to enable the marriage to be there solemnized. It was kept a profound secret; no one was told till it was over, and this was probably one reason for the selection of a distant church. Perhaps, however, St Pancras' Church was still too full of memories of Mary Wollstonecraft to make it a suitable spot in which her husband should put another wife in her place. Of this marriage, as of the former, the faithful Marshal was the only witness besides the parish clerk. An extract from the Diary briefly tells the story. Tobin and "1801. Decr. 20.—Su: write to David Webster. Fenwick call: Marshall] and C[lairmon]ts dine: call on Philips adv[enæ], Surrs, and Fenwick. "21. M. Shoreditch Church, &c., with C[lairmon]t and M[arshall]: dine at Snaresbrook: sleep. 22. Call at the Red Cow: adv[enæ] farmers, K of Bohemia's table dine chez moi : Tuthil calls." : The entries for the next few days show that a vast number of letters were despatched and calls made to tell friends of the event, and then are recorded calls on their part to make the acquaintance of Mrs Godwin. Then from these diaries vanishes all record of the romance—if indeed it can be called so. The writer was not quite so much his own master as before. Mrs Godwin was a deter-l mined and imperious woman, who ruled her house, who did not like all Godwin's friends, and occasionally adopted devices more ingenious than honest for keeping them at a distance. One such, recorded by Miss Baxter, the daughter of one of Godwin's oldest friends, may fitly be recorded here, though the precise date is unknown. It was not, however, long after the marriage. + Mr Baxter called to see Godwin, and on admittance to the house Mrs Godwin met him with the news that the kettle had fallen from the hob, and scalded Godwin's legs badly, as he sat by his fireside, that in drawing off his stockings much of the skin had come off with them, so that the poor man was in a state of terrible suffering, quite unable to see any one. Next day Mr Baxter and his daughter set out, as was natural, to enquire after their friend, having already told the tale to a circle of sympathising acquaintances. "But wha d'ye think we should meet coming down the street," said Miss Baxter, "on his ain twa legs but Maister Godwin himsel', and it was a' a lee from beginning to end." In 1803 Mrs Godwin gave birth to a son, William. The event made no difference in Godwin's placid and invariable routine. The Diary thus records it : "March 28th, M.-Birth of William, 10 minutes before 11 a.m. Call on Lamb; adv. Coleridge, Museum. M[arshal] dines. Call on M., on L. Ht. [Louisa Holcroft] and Nicholson. Condé calls." Certain entries in the Diary have a pathos from their extreme brevity. Their very baldness shows concentrated feeling in the determination not to show it. They are those of the deaths of friends, which begin to occur frequently. They are in the fewest possible words, as "Feb. 21, Su.-Jewish History. Sup. w. Miss at Fells. Dr Moore dies." The first letter of the year which has been preserved is from Mrs Godwin, sen., accepting a visit proposed for the following autumn. LETTER FROM MRS GODWIN, SEN. Mrs Godwin, sen., to William Godwin. 91 "Ap. 27, 1803. "MY DEAR WILLIAM,-Doubtless I should be glad to see you and your wife, as she is part of yourself, or any of your children, but the distance is so great, and the expence of the journey, that we cannot expect it. The youngest of us cannot assure ourselves of a day, especialy I, that am advanced so far beyond the common age of life. Each of us ought to prepare for the approach of death, as this is the only time we shall ever have. When death comes, it will be two late. Now is the accepted time, now is the day of Salvation. The Lord affect our hearts with solemn truth. May we be washed and made accepted of god through the sacrifice which Christ has wrought out for such guilty depraved siners as we all are. "I hearwith send a doll for one of your daughters and a testement that was yours for yours. I hope you will promote the knowledge of the undoubted truths in it. Your sister loves you two well to speak slighting of you or yours. I put in a Shirt you can put on and off at pleasure: it is made of old [linen], and will therefore last but a little while. I fear Harriet is thro pride and indulgence going the high way to ruin herself, if not her father two. She had learned a business by which many young people get their living, Mr Sam Lewel's daughter for one. woud be kind to talk to them and see if you can perswade them to brake of the acquantance and apply to work, till she gets the offer of an honest man to marry. I hope Mary Bailey follows it. I have never heard of her since she was at her father's last Autumn, but think to write to her very soon by post, and send her a guinea by Hannah, as I did this time twelvemonth. I hope she will never leave her husband so long again: it is the way to make a good husband bad. If he is bad, she may thank herself. “If you do come into Norfolk, perswade yourself to hear the worthy Mr Sykes on Lord's Day. Present my kind respects to your wife, whom I wish to be a helpmeet to you in spiritual things, and instruct your dear children in the same. It's a duty incumbent on parants: we may see every day their proneness to evil and |