Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin.
MEMOIRS
of the
AUTHOR
of a
VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN.
By WILLIAM GODWIN.
LONDON:
printed for j. johnson, no. 72, st. paul's
church.yard; and g.g. and j. robinson,
paternoster-row.
1798.
MEMOIRS.
CHAP. I.
1759-1775.
It has always appeared to me, thatto give to the public some account ofthe life of a person of eminent meritdeceased, is a duty incumbent on survivors.It seldom happens that sucha person passes through life, withoutbeing the subject of thoughtless calumny,or malignant misrepresentation.It cannot happen that the public atlarge should be on a footing with theirintimate acquaintance, and be the observerof those virtues which discoverthemselves principally in personal intercourse.Every benefactor of mankindis more or less influenced by aliberal passion for fame; and survivorsonly pay a debt due to these benefactors,when they assert and establish ontheir part, the honour they loved. Thejustice which is thus done to the illustriousdead, converts into the fairestsource of animation and encouragementto those who would follow themin the same carreer. The humanspecies at large is interested in thisjustice, as it teaches them to placetheir respect and affection, upon thosequalities which best deserve to beesteemed and loved. I cannot easilyprevail on myself to doubt, that themore fully we are presented with thepicture and story of such persons asthe subject of the following narrative,the more generally shall we feel inourselves an attachment to their fate,and a sympathy in their excellencies.There are not many individuals withwhose character the public welfareand improvement are more intimatelyconnected, than the author of A Vindicationof the Rights of Woman.
The facts detailed in the followingpa