After divers attempts to revive the affections of
Imlay, with sundry explanations and professions on his part,
through the lapse of two years, she resolved finally to forgo all
hope of reclaiming him, and endeavour to think of him no more in
connexion with her future prospects. In this she succeeded so
well, that she afterwards had a private interview with him, which
did not produce any painful emotions.
In 1796 she revived or improved an acquaintance which commenced
years before with Wm. Godwin, author of "Political Justice," and
other works of great notoriety. Though they had not been
favourably impressed with each other on their former acquaintance,
they now met under circumstances which permitted a mutual and just
appreciation of character. Their intimacy increased by regular and
almost imperceptible degrees. The partiality they conceived for
each other was, according to her biographer, "In the most refined
style of love. It grew with equal advances in the mind of each.
It would have been impossible for the most minute observer to have
said who was before, or who after. One sex did not take the
priority which long established custom has awarded it, nor the
other overstep that delicacy which is so severely imposed. Neither
party could assume to have been the agent or the patient, the
toil-spreader or the prey in the affair. When in the course of
things the disclosure came, there was nothing in a manner for
either to disclose to the other.
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