orried over what she heard of
their circumstances, and while her hands were, so to speak, tied, she
made plans to contribute to their future comforts. These letters were not
given in the order of their date, that they might not interrupt the
narrative of the Imlay episode. They may more appropriately be quoted
here. The following was written to Everina about a month before Fanny's
birth:--

HAVRE, March 10, 1794.

MY DEAR GIRL,--It is extremely uncomfortable to write to you thus
without expecting, or even daring to ask for an answer, lest I
should involve others in my difficulties, and make them suffer for
protecting me. The French are at present so full of suspicion that
had a letter of James's, imprudently sent to me, been opened, I
would not have answered for the consequence. I have just sent off a
great part of my manuscripts, which Miss Williams would fain have
had me burn, following her example; and to tell you the truth, my
life would not have been worth much had they been found. It is
impossible for you to have any idea of the impression the sad
scenes I have witnessed have left on my mind. The climate of France
is uncommonly fine, the country pleasant, and there is a degree of
ease and even simplicity in the manners of the common people which
attaches me to them. Still death and misery, in every shape of
terror, haunt this devoted country. I certainly am glad that I came
to France, because I never could have had a just opinion of the
most extraordinary event that has ever been recorded, and I have
met with some uncommon instances of friendship, which my heart will
ever gratefully store up, and call to mind when the remembrance is
keen of the anguish it has endured for its fellow-creatures at
large, for the unfortunate beings cut off around me, and the still
more unfortunate survivors. If any of the many letters I have
written have come to your hands or Eliza's, you know that I am
safe, through the protection of an American, a most worthy man, who
joins to uncommon tenderness of heart and quickness of feeling, a
soundness of understanding and reasonableness of temper rarely to
be met with. Having been brought up in the interior parts of
America, he is a most natural, unaffected creature. I am with him
now at Havre, and shall remain there till circumstances point