select party of choice spirits; therefore, without waiting to hear
me, he impatiently put a guinea into my hand, saying, 'It was a

pity such a sensible woman should be in distress--he wished me well
from his soul.'

"To another I wrote, stating my case, and requesting advice.
He was an advocate for unequivocal sincerity; and had often, in my

presence, descanted on the evils which arise in society from the
despotism of rank and riches.

"In reply, I received a long essay on the energy of the human
mind, with continual allusions to his own force of character. He

added, 'That the woman who could write such a letter as I had sent
him, could never be in want of resources, were she to look into

herself, and exert her powers; misery was the consequence of
indolence, and, as to my being shut out from society, it was the

lot of man to submit to certain privations.'
"How often have I heard," said Jemima, interrupting her

narrative, "in conversation, and read in books, that every person
willing to work may find employment? It is the vague assertion,

I believe, of insensible indolence, when it relates to men; but,
with respect to women, I am sure of its fallacy, unless they will

submit to the most menial bodily labour; and even to be employed
at hard labour is out of the reach of many, whose reputation

misfortune or folly has tainted.
"How writers, professing to be friends to freedom, and the

improvement of morals, can assert that poverty is no evil, I cannot
imagine."

"No more can I," interrupted Maria, "yet they even expatiate
on the peculiar happiness of indigence, though in what it can

consist, excepting in brutal rest, when a man can barely earn a
subsistence, I cannot imagine. The mind is necessarily imprisoned

in its own little tenement; and, fully occupied by keeping it in
repair, has not time to rove abroad for improvement. The book of

knowledge is closely clasped, against those who must fulfil their
daily task of severemanual labour or die; and curiosity, rarely

excited by thought or information, seldom moves on the stagnate
lake of ignorance."

"As far as I have been able to observe," replied Jemima,
"prejudices, caught up by chance, are obstinately maintained

by the poor, to the exclusion of improvement; they have not time
to reason or reflect to any extent, or minds sufficiently exercised

to adopt the principles of action, which form perhaps the only
basis of contentment in every station."*

* The copy which appears to have received the author's
last corrections, ends at this place. [Godwin's note]

"And independence," said Darnford, "they are necessarily
strangers to, even the independence of despising their persecutors.

If the poor are happy, or can be happy, _things_ _are_ _very_ _well_
_as_ _they_ _are_. And I cannot conceive on what principle those

writers contend for a change of system, who support this opinion.
The authors on the other side of the question are much more

consistent, who grant the fact; yet, insisting that it is the lot
of the majority to be oppressed in this life, kindly turn them over

to another, to rectify the false weights and measures of this, as
the only way to justify the dispensations of Providence. I have

not," continued Darnford, "an opinion more firmly fixed by observation
in my mind, than that, though riches may fail to produce proportionate

happiness, poverty most commonly excludes it, by shutting up all
the avenues to improvement."

"And as for the affections," added Maria, with a sigh, "how
gross, and even tormenting do they become, unless regulated by an

improving mind! The culture of the heart ever, I believe, keeps
pace with that of the mind. But pray go on," addressing Jemima,

"though your narrative gives rise to the most painfulreflections
on the present state of society."

"Not to trouble you," continued she, "with a detailed description
of all the painful feelings of unavailing exertion, I have only to

tell you, that at last I got recommended to wash in a few families,
who did me the favour to admit me into their houses, without the

most strict enquiry, to wash from one in the morning till eight at
night, for eighteen or twenty-pence a day. On the happiness to be

enjoyed over a washing-tub I need not comment; yet you will allow
me to observe, that this was a wretchedness of situation peculiar

to my sex. A man with half my industry, and, I may say, abilities,
could have procured a decentlivelihood, and discharged some of

the duties which knit mankind together; whilst I, who had acquired
a taste for the rational, nay, in honest pride let me assert it,

the virtuous enjoyments of life, was cast aside as the filth of
society. Condemned to labour, like a machine, only to earn bread,

and scarcely that, I became melancholy and desperate.
"I have now to mention a circumstance which fills me with

remorse, and fear it will entirely deprive me of your esteem. A
tradesman became attached to me, and visited me frequently,--and

I at last obtained such a power over him, that he offered to take
me home to his house.--Consider, dear madam, I was famishing: wonder

not that I became a wolf!.--The only reason for not taking me home
immediately, was the having a girl in the house, with child by him--

and this girl--I advised him--yes, I did! would I could forget it!--
to turn out of doors: and one night he determined to follow

my advice. Poor wretch! She fell upon her knees, reminded him that
he had promised to marry her, that her parents were honest!--

What did it avail?--She was turned out.
"She approached her father's door, in the skirts of London,

--listened at the shutters,--but could not knock. A watchman had
observed her go and return several times--Poor wretch!--[The remorse

Jemima spoke of, seemed to be stinging her to the soul, as she
proceeded.]

"She left it, and, approaching a tub where horses were watered,
she sat down in it, and, with desperateresolution, remained in

that attitude--till resolution was no longer necessary!
"I happened that morning to be going out to wash, anticipating

the moment when I should escape from such hard labour. I passed
by, just as some men, going to work, drew out the stiff, cold

corpse--Let me not recal the horrid moment!--I recognized her pale
visage; I listened to the tale told by the spectators, and my heart

did not burst. I thought of my own state, and wondered how I could
be such a monster!--I worked hard; and, returning home, I was

attacked by a fever. I suffered both in body and mind. I determined
not to live with the wretch. But he did not try me; he left the

neighbourhood. I once more returned to the wash-tub.
"Still this state, miserable as it was, admitted of aggravation.

Lifting one day a heavy load, a tub fell against my shin, and gave
me great pain. I did not pay much attention to the hurt, till it

became a serious wound; being obliged to work as usual, or starve.
But, finding myself at length unable to stand for any time,

I thought of getting into an hospital. Hospitals, it should seem
(for they are comfortless abodes for the sick) were expressly

endowed for the reception of the friendless; yet I, who had on that
plea a right to assistance, wanted the recommendation of the rich

and respectable, and was several weeks languishing for admittance;
fees were demanded on entering; and, what was still more unreasonable,

security for burying me, that expence not coming into the letter
of the charity. A guinea was the stipulated sum--I could as soon

have raised a million; and I was afraid to apply to the parish for
an order, lest they should have passed me, I knew not whither.

The poor woman at whose house I lodged, compassionating my state,
got me into the hospital; and the family where I received the hurt,

sent me five shillings, three and six-pence of which I gave at my
admittance--I know not for what.

"My leg grew quickly better; but I was dismissed before my
cure was completed, because I could not afford to have my linen

washed to appear decently, as the virago of a nurse said, when the
gentlemen (the surgeons) came. I cannot give you an adequate idea

of the wretchedness of an hospital; every thing is left to the care
of people intent on gain. The attendants seem to have lost all

feeling of compassion in the bustling discharge of their offices;
death is so familiar to them, that they are not anxious to ward it

off. Every thing appeared to be conducted for the accommodation
of the medical men and their pupils, who came to make experiments

on the poor, for the benefit of the rich. One of the physicians,
I must not forget to mention, gave me half-a-crown, and ordered me

some wine, when I was at the lowest ebb. I thought of making my