Memoirs of the Author of a Vindication of the Rights of Woman | Page 4

1775-1783.
But a connection more memorable originated about this time, between
Mary and a person of her own sex, for whom she contracted a
friendship so fervent, as for years to have constituted the ruling passion
of her mind. The name of this person was Frances Blood; she was two
years older than Mary. Her residence was at that time at Newington
Butts, a village near the southern extremity of the metropolis; and the
original instrument for bringing these two friends acquainted, was Mrs.
Clare, wife of the gentleman already mentioned, who was on a footing
of considerable intimacy with both parties. The acquaintance of Fanny,
like that of Mr. Clare, contributed to ripen the immature talents of
Mary.
The situation in which Mary was introduced to her, bore a resemblance
to the first interview of Werter with Charlotte. She was conducted to
the door of a small house, but furnished with peculiar neatness and

propriety. The first object that caught her sight, was a young woman of
a slender and elegant form, and eighteen years of age, busily employed
in feeding and managing some children, born of the same parents, but
considerably inferior to her in age. The impression Mary received from
this spectacle was indelible; and, before the interview was concluded,
she had taken, in her heart, the vows of an eternal friendship.
Fanny was a young woman of extraordinary accomplishments. She
sung and played with taste. She drew with exquisite fidelity and
neatness; and, by the employment of this talent, for some time
maintained her father, mother, and family, but ultimately ruined her
health by her extraordinary exertions. She read and wrote with
considerable application; and the same ideas of minute and delicate
propriety followed her in these, as in her other occupations.
Mary, a wild, but animated and aspiring girl of sixteen, contemplated
Fanny, in the first instance, with sentiments of inferiority and reverence.
Though they were much together, yet, the distance of their habitation
being considerable, they supplied the want of mere frequent interviews
by an assiduous correspondence. Mary found Fanny's letters better spelt
and better indited than her own, and felt herself abashed. She had
hitherto paid but a superficial attention to literature. She had read, to
gratify the ardour of an inextinguishable thirst of knowledge; but she
had not thought of writing as an art. Her ambition to excel was now
awakened, and she applied herself with passion and earnestness. Fanny
undertook to be her instructor; and, so far as related to accuracy and
method, her lessons were given with considerable skill.
It has already been mentioned that, in the spring of the year 1776, Mr.
Wollstonecraft quitted his situation at Hoxton, and returned to his
former agricultural pursuits. The situation upon which he now fixed
was in Wales, a circumstance that was felt as a severe blow to Mary's
darling spirit of friendship. The principal acquaintance of the
Wollstonecrafts in this retirement, was the family of a Mr. Allen, two
of whose daughters are since married to the two elder sons of the
celebrated English potter, Josiah Wedgwood.
Wales however was Mr. Wollstonecraft's residence for little more than
a year. He returned to the neighbourhood of London; and Mary, whose
spirit of independence was unalterable, had influence enough to
determine his choice in favour of the village of Walworth, that she

might be near her chosen friend. It was probably before this, that she
has once or twice started the idea of quitting her parental roof, and
providing for herself. But she was prevailed upon to resign this idea,
and conditions were stipulated with her, relative to her having an
apartment in the house that should be exclusively her own, and her
commanding the other requisites of study. She did not however think
herself fairly treated in these instances, and either the conditions
abovementioned, or some others, were not observed in the sequel, with
the fidelity she expected. In one case, she had procured an eligible
situation, and every thing was settled respecting her removal to it, when
the intreaties and tears of her mother led her to surrender her own
inclinations, and abandon the engagement.
These however were only temporary delays. Her propensities continued
the same, and the motives by which she was instigated were unabated.
In the year 1778, she being nineteen years of age, a proposal was made
to her of living as a companion with a Mrs. Dawson of Bath, a widow
lady, with one son already adult. Upon enquiry she found that Mrs.
Dawson was a woman of great peculiarity of temper, that she had had a
variety of companions in succession, and that no one had found it
practicable to continue with her. Mary was not discouraged by this
information, and accepted the situation, with a resolution that