William Godwin: his Friends and Contemporaries
Ch. II. 1785-1788
Ann Hull Godwin to William Godwin, 5 September 1792
“Dear William,—I
earnestly pray you may be making progress Heavenward, that is my fear and
question on account of the little apearance of religion in those that are left
as well as those yt are departed this life, my life is
bitter, am obliged to cry out with David Ps. 13 How long
wilt thou forget me O Lord forever, How long wilt thou hide thy face from me. I
may say I pray without ceasing for you, 3 times a Day, besides the sleepless
Hours of the night, and my strength is so feble that I know not how to sustain
myself in the day some times. I know that ![]()
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its God’s work to make the hart suseptable
of divine Impressions. Not ye most Eloquent preachers,
for they are but Earthen Vesels, Paul and Apolos may
water, but without God gives the increase no fruit will spring up. Gods word is
full of premisses to those that seek in sincerity, relying on Christ as the
atoning sacrifice and intercesor, for sure I am that sinners cannot be
justified and accepted by any righteousness of their own. His word declares
that by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified and for that reason
Christ came to make a propitiation to Offended justis that all who believe in
him might be saved. You know its not ment without showing their faith by their
Obedience as far as we in our fallen and depraved state are capable, but its
not said that his affronted and despised patience will last always, a bare
crying for mercy at last is a dangerous experiment. I’m obleged to you
for the respect you profsess for me. If I could see my children walk in ye truth I should be happy, my Happiness is bound up in
theirs. It would sweeten my expiring moments, with Views of meeting those I
have been ye Instrument of bringing into life, in the
happy regions of blesedness where all perplecty will for ever cease. Thank
yo for ye information you
gave me respecting Natty, as to ye name
of ye Ship Capt &c. am sorry he has not a better constitution, for he can
have but few indulgencies in the way of life He is in. the tempers of
seafairing men are generaly like the boisterous Element. I hope there will come
a time when he will fare better, tho I dont think Mr Hurry
have been so kind to him as might be expected considering he had been so many
years in his service, his perseverance is a good sign, for what could be done
with him otherwise I dont know. Am realy sorry John should accept an iniquitous imployment. I think he might
make a living of the two clarks places without the Lottery. I gave him my
advice before I recd yours or knew anything about it,
not to disoblige Mr Finch least he should loose his place,
but would have you use all the influence you have to prevale with him to keep
the two places, and never more to Ingage in the Lottery. I think he might do
exceeding well with his pay and the perquisites. I sincerely wish Mrs
Cooper cou’d meet with an agreabl sittuation, ![]()
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believe they are hard to be met with, believe there is
something in her temper that forbids happiness. It must give Miss
Cooper much uneasiness. Miss Cooper is I
think a very senceable, prudent agreeable Girl. Poor Hannah wrote me of the unlucky accident that
befel her of her being push’d down in the street, and her Cloths being
Spoil’d. It was a great mercy she escaped so well as She did, and was
able to get home. I hope it will be a warning not to be out of an Evining, at
least not to come home alone. Intend writing to her soon, am glad she has got
such an agreeable Girl as Miss Green to bare her company.
I was exceeding hurt that you should have borrow’d 5 guineas of
Mr Venning so long and then say to me when I was in
Town he was so mean as to mention it. What would you have him do, or what would
you have done in such a predicament. However I have paid it, and shall expect
your note for it. You can inquire at Fish Street Hill when its likely
Mr Jacob will be in town for you to meet him, and give
a proper note. These things so often repeated with all the aeconemy I am
mistress of shall not be able to do anything for the young ones.
“I have a few friends that I highly value, Mrs Sothren and Mrs
Foster, and Mrs A. Hill is a comfort and
help to me, but Mrs Sothren is a person you ought to Rever
as your second Mother, who nurtured you in your infancy. I did not expect she
would got this winter over, she is so assmatic, thro divine mercy she is yet
spared, and I hope shall see her in the course of the summer. Mrs
Hill was confined near 6 weeks, has a bad complant of her neck,
otherwise is much as usual. She and Hully desire to be remember’d to you.
“from your Affecate Mother,
“A.
Godwin.”
Hannah Godwin (d. 1817)
The younger sister of William Godwin; she worked as a dressmaker in London.
Philip Hull Godwin (1765-1852)
The younger brother of William Godwin; he was a farmer in East Bradenham, Norfolk.
John Godwin (d. 1805)
The son of the Rev. John Godwin (d. 1772) and the elder brother of William Godwin; he was
a clerk, a gambler and a drinker.
Nathaniel Godwin (1768-1846)
The younger brother of William Godwin who in 1827 obtained a place for him as a poor
brother of the Charterhouse. He had been employed as a sailor and as a servant.
William Godwin (1756-1836)
English novelist and political philosopher; author of
An Inquiry
concerning the Principles of Political Justice (1793) and
Caleb
Williams (1794); in 1797 he married Mary Wollstonecraft.
Hannah Sothren [née Reymes] (d. 1796)
The wife of the dissenting minister George Southren (d. 1785), successor to John Godwin
at Stowmarket; she lived with the Godwin family after the death of her husband.
