CHAPTER II. MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT 12

The new Settler in George Street, Blackfriars--Mary’s earlier Story--Woman of Letters--Her Five Years’ Work--Her Attachment to Mr. Johnson--Coteries of Philosophical Radicalism-- _Anti-Jacobin_ on the Free Contract--Godwin’s Apostasy--From Blackfriars to Store Street--The Slut become a modish Woman--Her Passion for Fuseli--Her Appeal to Mrs. Fuseli--Mr. Kegan Paul’s strange Treatment of Mr. Knowles--_Rights of Woman_--Plain Speech and Coarseness--Mary goes to Paris--She makes Imlay’s Acquaintance--Her Assignation with him at the Barrier--Their Association in Free Love--Mr. Kegan Paul speaks deliberately--His Apology for Mary’s Action--He falls between Two Stools--Wife in the eyes of God and Man--Letters to Imlay--Badness of Mary’s Temper--Her consequent Quarrels with Imlay--Her Sense of Shame at her Position--Birth of her illegitimate Child--Her Withdrawal from France--Her Norwegian Trip--Her Wretchedness and Rage--Dissolution of the Free Love Partnership--Mary’s Attempt to commit Suicide--Was she out of her Mind?--Her Union with Godwin in Free Love--Their subsequent Marriage--Their Squabbles and Differences--Their Daughter’s Birth--Mary Wollstonecraft’s Death--Mrs. Shelley’s biographical Inaccuracies.