William Godwin to Mary Hays, 30 Kirby Street, [Tuesday, 5 January 1796].1

     I will do myself the pleasure of waiting on you on Friday, & shall be happy to meet Mrs Wolstencraft, of whom I know not that I ever said a word of harm, & who has frequently amused herself with depreciating me.2 But I trust you acknowledge in me the reality of a habit upon which I pique myself, that I speak of the qualities of others uninfluenced by personal considerations, & am as prompt to do justice to an enemy as to a friend.

    I have not the slightest suspicion of your having disgusted Mr Holcroft by interrupting the discussion on Sunday by your departure.

Tuesday, 11 o’clock

Address: Miss Hayes | 30 | Kirby Street | Hatton Garden

Postmark: 5 January 1796.

1 MS G 0317, Pforzheimer Collection, NYPL; Brooks, Correspondence 421-22; Clemit, Letters 1.145; Wedd, Love Letters 232.

2 According to Godwin's Diary, on Friday, 8 January, he had tea at Hays's residence with Holcroft and Wollstonecraft.