the end of the month are no less than four notices of dinners to friends, and on each of them are the words, "Curran expected." How the mistake arose cannot now be known, but out of it arose a misunderstanding between Godwin and his wife, which led to the following letter. It may well be supposed that a serious threat of separation did not take place on the first occasion that disagreements had arisen. The time at which Mrs Godwin kept her temper may refer to that of his serious indisposition and frequent faintingfits in July. William Godwin to Mrs Godwin. "October 28, 1803. "In our conversation this morning you expressed a wish to separate. All I have to say on the subject is, that I have no obstacle to oppose to it, and that if it is to take place I hope it will not be long in hand. It is not my wish; because I know that here you have every ingredient of happiness in your possession, and that in order to be happy, you have nothing to do but to suppress in part the excesses of that baby-sullenness for every trifle, and to be brought out every day (the attribute of the mother of Jane), which I saw you suppress with great ease, and in repeated instances, in the months of July and August last. The separation will be a source of great misery to me; but I can make up my resolution to encounter it, and I cannot but wish that you should have the opportunity of comparing it with the happiness which is completely within your reach, but which you are eager to throw away. "As to the ground of your resentment, I owe it to myself to re-state it, with all the additions with which you in your remarks have furnished me. Mr Curran promised to dine with me on Tuesday, the 18th inst., and again on Wednesday the 26th. Yesterday he promised to come to me at twelve o'clock and spend the day with me. On each of the two first days I provided a dinner for him and was disappointed. Yesterday you provided a dinner, contrary to my order to the servant, since his promise, which I gave you in writing, showed that if I did not see him by twelve or one (coming from breakfast at Lord Hutchinson's), I had no right to expect him at four. A woman of any humanity would have endeavoured to console me under these repeated disappointments. If we part, you will have the consolation to reflect that we part because I did not exact from a friend (who till within these ten days never disappointed me) something more than a promise that he would keep his engagements. "I earnestly wish, however, though I cannot say I hope, that wherever you go, you may find reason to be satisfied with the choice you have made. "You part from the best of husbands, the most anxious to console you, the best qualified to bear and be patient towards one of the worst of tempers. I have every qualification and every wish to make you happy, but cannot without your own" [incomplete]. Old Mrs Godwin had only seen the better side of her daughter-in-law, who could be, no doubt, as pleasant for a short time as she was clever. Mrs Godwin, Sen., to William Godwin. Nov. 15, 1803. "MY DEAR WILLIAM,—Whose Countenance gave me the highest delight to see with your wife, whom I also respect for her many amiable qualities. I wish you had paid so much respect to good Mr Sykes as to have heard him preach one Lord's Day in your good father's Pulpit. Think with yourself, if you were in his place, and your mother's that loves you, and at the same time highly values Mr Sykes, who in many respects is the very Image of your dear father, for friendliness and wish to do everybody good. A man of unblemished carrector and serious godliness. He told me he was ingaged before he received my invitation to spend the afternoon, which I was sorry for, for he is so sensible a man, that could not but been pleased with his company. It now remains to tell you and Mrs Godwin I have done the best I ever you could about the sheets, and think them a very great pennyworth. I desired Hannah to cut off lines of her letter, and send them to you to inform you how to remit the money—£4, 45.—for the sheets, and one shilling for the pack-cloth, which makes £4, 5s. Pay it into Barklay's bank, taking his recipt on your letter for Ann Godwin sen.'s account at Guirney's bank, Norwich. They will do it without puting you to the expence of a stamp. Leave room to cut it of, that I may send it. "Mrs Godwin's kind letter I rec'd; was rejoiced you got safe home, and met your dear children in good helth, and the particulars of your journey. The time we spent together was to me very pleasing, to see you both in such helth and so happy in consulting to make each other so, which is beutiful in a married state, and, as far as I am able to judge, appears husifly which is a high recommendation in a wife: give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own hands praise her. I might go back to the 10th verse. But will conclude with, 'favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the lord, she shall be praised.' "I wish your brother John had ever so mean a place where he had his board found, if it were Mr Finche's footman's, for he must actualy starve on half a guinea a week. If his master will give him a carrector. I have sent him 7 lb. of butter, but that can't last long, and I am in earnest. If he don't seek a place while he has deasent clothes on his back, nobody will take him in. I cannot, nor I will not, support him. I shall not be ashamed to own him, let him be in ever so low a station, if he have an honest carrector. He is two old to go to sea, but may do for such a place if his pride will let him: its better than a jale, and I can't pretend to keep him out. Now I have another meloncholy story to tell you. Your dear brother Natty, I fear, is declining apace. He is still at Mr Murton's, but I have invited him home to do what I can for him. If my maid cannot nurss him, he must have one. Tell Hannah Mrs Hull's brother Raven seems declining too, may perhaps live the winter out, but has no appitite, nor keep out of bed half the day. You see Deth is taking his rounds, and the young as well as the old are not sure of a day. The Lord grant that we may finish our warfare so as not to be afraid to die. "Now I will tell you Mr Sykes's text last Lord's Day,—Isaiah liv., 'O thou afflicted and tossed with tempests, behold I will lay thy stones with fare coulars, and lay thy foundations with sapphires' -one of the finest sermons I ever heard. I wish you to read Henery's exposition on that chapter. "I am unwell with a cold. I've not been so well since you left us. I believe I did myself no good with such long walks, but have not missed the meeting since. Mr and Mrs G. send their respects to you, and so do their children, and my maid Molly. "I would advise you to let your children learn to knit little worsted short stockens, just above their shoes, to keep their feet from chilblains this winter. We cannot but be anxious about this war. It was pride that begun it, and will most likely ruin it. Cursed pride, that creeps securely in, and swels a haughty worm. It was the sin that cast the divils out of heaven, and our first parents out of Paradise.—I am, with real affection, your loving mother, ANN GODWIN. "I have sent your two pocket handkerchifs, a pair course stockens for your brother, the rest for my Grandson John.” The change in temper which has been already noticed led to a distinct breach between Godwin and Holcroft,the letters in reference to this misunderstanding are not in themselves of any interest—as well as between Godwin and Lamb, and contributed in some degree to the production of an acrimonious letter to Horne Tooke, which is given below. It is true that Godwin was always extremely sensitive to anything which looked like, or could be tortured into looking like, a slight; yet such an outburst is an exaggeration of his usual feeling. In the other cases, Lamb, as will be seen, hints that Mrs Godwin was guilty of at least a en, vile Ellenft still more decidedly charges, vin teng me use of estrangement of course healed; but none the less 1 per tina vs a more restrained and less affectionarvien me hd frends, though the regard which Lad den ut suld ever vicily cease, and Godwin had at a time of de n vinch a man seldom makes new 2. Tendships made at such an age are sm.ames is vir as those of youth, but the and a man locks that conjugal tenace should each gradually pass, if unashy and equality. But for this to vie must make her husband's friends her, 11: Grevin, more than many men, kept that youth a kart via tae to old trends with enthusiasm, and 22 de la væres of explanation, the following letters sux fer stems, s ff Land's renew of Chaucer” was en we put sted her d', it is not now discoverable. and 2- zenves se mulla de I am sure. I persist, I shall ter self into a Sever You do not know how sore and weak 1 brain I Save, or vee weeld allow for many things in me which jou set down for whims I solemnly assure you that I never more wished to prove to you the value which I have for you than at this moment; but although in se seemingly miding a service I cannot get through with a I pay you to impute it to this one sole |