Trinity-church; and on the Friday after Trinity Sunday, there is annually a procession through the town, with a figure representing a naked woman on horseback.

GODWIN (MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT), was born on the 27th of April, 1759, in London, or at a farm upon Epping-forest. The educa tion of this extraordinary woman was slender, and she had none of those early advantages which have been the lot of most women who have been distinguished in the literary world. She was remarkable in early life for vivacity and resolution. At nineteen years of age she lived with a Mrs. Dawson, at Bath, as a companion, but was obliged to leave Mrs. Dawson, to attend to the wants of her dying mother, to whom her behaviour appears to have been very. dutiful. After the death of her mother, she found herself in narrow circumstances, and was anxious to fix upon some mode of life to secure her independence. In the twenty-fourth year of her age, she opened a day-school at Islington, which was soon after transferred to Newington-green. She had, for her partner, a young lady, to whom she was strongly attached, who repaired to Lisbon for the recovery of her health, in pursuance of the advice of a physician. This circum-* stance is worthy of notice, for it gave occasion to the display of that heroic friendship, which so much distinguished the life and character of Mrs. Godwin. Hearing that her friend was likely to die at Lisbon, Mrs. Godwin abandoned her school, in contempt of every con

sideration of interest, and, having borrowed a sufficient sum of money, flew to Lisbon to attend the last wishes of her friend. On her return to England, she found her school had suffered greatly by her absence; she therefore entered into the family of Lord Kingsborough, as governess to his daughters, in which situation, however, she remained but a short time. In 1787, she settled in the metropolis, and had recourse to her pen for subsistence. Here she pursued her literary labours; wrote some of her most popular productions; "The Answer to Mr. Burke," and the "Vindication of the Rights of Women!" translated several works, and contributed many articles to the Analytical Review. In 1792, she went to Paris, where she became acquainted with Mr. Gilbert Imlay, a native of America, by whom she had a daughter. She had always entertained the most violent prejudices against the conditions of European marriages,

She

did not think it consistent with the nature of man, for him to enter into an indissoluble union. She did not like those reciprocal legal responsibilities, which take away the individuality of action and conduct. Mrs. Godwin, as she frankly acknowledges, took upon her the duties of marriage without the ceremonyshe lived with Mr. Imlay. She was now more than thirty-three years of age. The connec tion did not prove fortunate. Mr. Imlay disappointed all her hopes. He abandoned her. In April 1795, she returned to London. The conduct of Mr. Imlay drove her to despe

ration,

ration, and she attempted to put an end to her life, but was prevented. Her misery increased, and again she attempted to destroy herself. For this purpose, she repaired to Putney, determining to throw herself into the river. We have here another instance of great resolution. It rained, and Mrs. Godwin, to facilitate her descent into the water, walked up and down the bridge for half an hour, that her clothes might be thoroughly drenched and heavy. She now leaped from the top of the bridge, but finding still a difficulty in sinking, she tried to press her clothes closely around her. She at last became insensible; but at this moment she was discovered and taken out. The next remarkable event in the life of Mrs. Godwin, was her union with Mr. Godwin. They had long known each other; and the union took place about six months after Mrs. Godwin had finally lost all hopes of reclaiming Mr. Imlay. They did not immediately marry, both disliking the responsibility and conditions attending that ceremony in England. But after Mrs. Godwin found herself pregnant, she thought it better to submit to the ceremony of marriage, than to that exclusion from society, to which living without, in this country, would subject her, and which would infallibly have narrowed the circle of her usefulness. Mrs. Godwin died in consequence of child-birth, in August 1797, and was buried in St. Pancras church-yard. Since her death have been published her poshumous works, consisting of Letters and fragments.

GOLD

GOLDSMITH (OLIVER, commonly called Doctor), a celebrated writer, was born at Roscommon, in Ireland, in 1729. His father, intended

him for the church, a department which did not accord with his wishes, he therefore went to Edinburgh to study physic. Having become bound for the debts of a fellow-student, he was obliged to save himself from imprisonment by flight. At Sunderland in the county of Durham, he was arrested for one of these debts; but some gentlemen of the college, who admired his talents, relieved him, by paying the sum demanded. He then passed over to Rotterdam, and remained four years on the continent, where he encountered many difficulties, and experienced all the vicissitudes to which a pennyless wanderer must necessarily be subject. He had an opportunity, however, of enjoying the scenes of nature, and of studying the human passions. In travelling over the continent, he subsisted chiefly by a little skill in music, which made him acceptable to the peasantry. He also frequently met with a kind reception at the religious houses, where his talents and acquisitions were much admired. On his arrival in England, in 1758, he was in the utmost distress, and could not for a long time get any employment in London. He was

at last taken into a laboratory, and shortly after met with Dr. Sleigh, one of the gentlemen who discharged the debt for him in Sunderland, who now assisted him till something eligible should present itself. Shortly after, he was engaged as an assistant at an academy at Peckham. When

When his abilities were more generally known, he was retained as a writer in the Monthly Review; in which situation he was supposed to have given satisfaction to his employer, as he was an occasional assistant in that periodical performance for several years. During this period, the Doctor's vanity (of which he had a sufficient share), brought him into a temporary difficulty: he received a letter from Sir Richard extolling his ability as a writer in the most exalted terms and lamenting that yal, or right honourable, patronage had not been extended to him: at the same time, offering his best services to procure him a suitable reward. In order to consult on this business, he appointed 10 meet Goldsmith at Monday's coffee-house, in Maidenlane, at a certain hour. Enraptured at the golden prospect, the doctor entered the place of rendezvous exactly at the moment fixed on; and, with great pomposity, enquired for Sir Richard; but, to the great surprise and confusion of the Reviewer, Sir Richard came forth in the two-fold character of a bailiff and his follower, and conducted him to a place of safety. The Doctor easily became the dupe of any plausible pretext, and upon many occasions, shewed much vanity and folly. He was very fond of cards, and belonged to a card-club which always kept him extremely poor, though he was constantly receiving very large supplies for the productions of his pen. Among his intimate friends, it was customary for him to exclaim, "I know that I can play the game of whist

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