ested; I should have seen his selfish soul; and--gracious
God! have been spared the misery of discovering, when too late, that I
was united to a heartless, unprincipled wretch. All my schemes of
usefulness would not then have been blasted. The tenderness of my heart
would not have heated my imagination with visions of the ineffable
delight of happy love; nor would the sweet duty of a mother have been so
cruelly interrupted.

But I must not suffer the fortitude I have so hardly acquired, to be
undermined by unavailing regret. Let me hasten forward to describe the
turbid stream in which I had to wade--but let me exultingly declare that
it is passed--my soul holds fellowship with him no more. He cut the
Gordian knot, which my principles, mistaken ones, respected; he dissolved
the tie, the fetters rather, that ate into my very vitals--and I should
rejoice, conscious that my mind is freed, though confined in hell itself;
the only place that even fancy can imagine more dreadful than my present
abode.

These varying emotions will not allow me to proceed. I heave sigh after
sigh; yet my heart is still oppressed. For what am I reserved? Why was I
not born a man, or why was I born at all?

END OF VOL. I.

POSTHUMOUS WORKS

OF

MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT GODWIN.

VOL. II.

POSTHUMOUS WORKS

OF THE

AUTHOR

OF A

VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN.

IN FOUR VOLUMES.

* * * * *

VOL. II.

* * * * *

_LONDON:_

PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON, NO. 72, ST. PAUL'S
CHURCH-YARD; AND G. G. AND J. ROBINSON,
PATERNOSTER-ROW.
1798.

THE

WRONGS OF WOMAN:

OR,

MARIA.

A FRAGMENT.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

_WRONGS_

OF

WOMAN.

CHAP. IX.

"I RESUME my pen to fly from thought. I was married; and we hastened to
London. I had purposed taking one of my sisters with me; for a strong
motive for marrying, was the desire of having a home at which I could
receive them, now their own grew so uncomfortable, as not to deserve the
cheering appellation. An objection was made to her accompanying me, that
appeared plausible; and I reluctantly acquiesced. I was however willingly
allowed to take with me Molly, poor Peggy's daughter. London and
preferment, are ideas commonly associated in the country; and, as
blooming as May, she bade adieu to Peggy with weeping eyes. I did not
even feel hurt at the