The facts detailed16 in the following pages, are principally taken from the mouth of the person to whom they relate; and of the veracity17 and ingenuousness18 of her habits, perhaps no one that was ever acquainted with her, entertains a doubt. The writer of this narrative, when he has met with persons, that in any degree created to themselves an interest and attachment in his mind, has always felt a curiosity to be acquainted with the scenes through which they had passed, and the incidents that had contributed to form their understandings and character. Impelled19 by this sentiment, he repeatedly led the conversation of Mary to topics of this sort; and, once or twice, he made notes in her presence, of a few dates calculated to arrange the circumstances in his mind. To the materials thus collected, he has added an industrious20 enquiry among the persons most intimately acquainted with her at the different periods of her life.
Mary Wollstonecraft was born on the 27th of April 1759. Her father’s name was Edward John, and the name of her mother Elizabeth, of the family of Dixons of Ballyshannon in the kingdom of Ireland: her paternal21 grandfather was a respectable manufacturer in Spitalfields, and is supposed to have left to his son a property of about 10,000l. Three of her brothers and two sisters are still living; their names, Edward, James, Charles, Eliza, and Everina. Of these, Edward only was older than herself; he resides in London. James is in Paris, and Charles in or near Philadelphia in America. Her sisters have for some years been engaged in the office of governesses in private families, and are both at present in Ireland.
I am doubtful whether the father of Mary was bred to any profession; but, about the time of her birth, he resorted, rather perhaps as an amusement than a business, to the occupation of farming. He was of a very active, and somewhat versatile22 disposition23, and so frequently changed his abode24, as to throw some ambiguity25 upon the place of her birth. She told me, that the doubt in her mind in that respect, lay between London, and a farm upon Epping Forest, which was the principal scene of the five first years of her life.
Mary was distinguished26 in early youth, by some portion of that exquisite27 sensibility, soundness of understanding, and decision of character, which were the leading features of her mind through the whole course of her life. She experienced in the first period of her existence, but few of those indulgences and marks of affection, which are principally calculated to sooth the subjection and sorrows of our early years. She was not the favourite either of her father or mother. Her father was a man of a quick, impetuous disposition, subject to alternate fits of kindness and cruelty. In his family he was a despot, and his wife appears to have been the first, and most submissive of his subjects. The mother’s partiality was fixed28 upon the eldest29 son, and her system of government relative to Mary, was characterized by considerable rigour. She, at length, became convinced of her mistake, and adopted a different plan with her younger daughters. When, in the Wrongs of Woman, Mary speaks of “the petty cares which obscured the morning of her heroine’s life; continual restraint in the most trivial matters; unconditional30 submission31 to orders, which, as a mere32 child, she soon discovered to be unreasonable33, because inconsistent and contradictory34; and the being often obliged to sit, in the presence of her parents, for three or four hours together, without daring to utter a word;” she is, I believe, to be considered as copying the outline of the first period of her own existence.
But it was in vain, that the blighting35 winds of unkindness or indifference36, seemed destined37 to counteract38 the superiority of Mary’s mind. It surmounted39 every obstacle; and, by degrees, from a person little considered in the family, she became in some sort its director and umpire. The despotism of her education cost her many a heart-ache. She was not formed to be the contented40 and unresisting subject of a despot; but I have heard her remark more than once, that, when she felt she had done wrong, the reproof41 or chastisement42 of her mother, instead of being a terror to her, she found to be the only thing capable of reconciling her to herself. The blows of her father on the contrary, which were the mere ebullitions of a passionate43 temper, instead of humbling44 her, roused her indignation. Upon such occasions she felt her superiority, and was apt to betray marks of contempt. The quickness of her father’s temper, led him sometimes to threaten similar violence towards his wife. When that was the case, Mary would often throw herself between the despot and his victim, with the purpose to receive upon her own person the blows that might be directed against her mother. She has even laid whole nights upon the landing-place near their chamber-door, when, mistakenly, or with reason, she apprehended45 that her father might break out into paroxysms of violence. The conduct he held towards the members of his family, was of the same kind as that he observed towards animals. He was for the most part extravagantly46 fond of them; but, when he was displeased47, and this frequently happened, and for very trivial reasons, his anger was alarming. Mary was what Dr. Johnson would have called, “a very good hater.” In some instance of passion exercised by her father to one of his dogs, she was accustomed to speak of her emotions of abhorrence48, as having risen to agony. In a word, her conduct during her girlish years, was such, as to extort49 some portion of affection from her mother, and to hold her father in considerable awe50.
In one respect, the system of education of the mother appears to have had merit. All her children were vigorous and healthy. This seems very much to depend upon the management of our infant years. It is affirmed by some persons of the present day, most profoundly skilled in the sciences of health and disease, that there is no period of human life so little subject to mortality, as the period of infancy51. Yet, from the mismanagement to which children are exposed, many of the diseases of childhood are rendered fatal, and more persons die in that, than in any other period of human life. Mary had projected a work upon this subject, which she had carefully considered, and well understood. She has indeed left a specimen52 of her skill in this respect in her eldest daughter, three years and a half old, who is a singular example of vigorous constitution and florid health. Mr. Anthony Carlisle, surgeon, of Soho-square, whom to name is sufficiently53 to honour, had promised to revise her production. This is but one out of numerous projects of activity and usefulness, which her untimely death has fatally terminated.
The rustic54 situation in which Mary spent her infancy, no doubt contributed to confirm the stamina55 of her constitution. She sported in the open air, and amidst the picturesque56 and refreshing57 scenes of nature, for which she always retained the most exquisite relish58. Dolls and the other amusements usually appropriated to female children, she held in contempt; and felt a much greater propensity59 to join in the active and hardy60 sports of her brothers, than to confine herself to those of her own sex.
About the time that Mary completed the fifth year of her age, her father removed to a small distance from his former habitation, and took a farm near the Whalebone upon Epping Forest, a little way out of the Chelmsford road. In Michaelmas 1765, he once more changed his residence, and occupied a convenient house behind the town of Barking in Essex, eight miles from London. In this situation some of their nearest neighbours were, Bamber Gascoyne, esquire, successively member of parliament for several boroughs61, and his brother, Mr. Joseph Gascoyne. Bamber Gascoyne resided but little on this spot; but his brother was almost a constant inhabitant, and his family in habits of the most frequent intercourse with the family of Mary. Here Mr. Wollstonecraft remained for three years. In September 1796, I accompanied my wife in a visit to this spot. No person reviewed with greater sensibility, the scenes of her childhood. We found the house uninhabited, and the garden in a wild and ruinous state. She renewed her acquaintance with the market-place, the streets, and the wharf62, the latter of which we found crowded with barges63, and full of activity.
In Michaelmas 1768, Mr. Wollstonecraft again removed to a farm near Beverley in Yorkshire. Here the family remained for six years, and consequently, Mary did not quit this residence, till she had attained64 the age of fifteen years and five months. The principal part of her school-education passed during this period; but it was not to any advantage of infant literature, that she was indebted for her subsequent eminence65; her education in this respect was merely such, as was afforded by the day-schools of the place, in which she resided. To her recollections Beverley appeared a very handsome town, surrounded by genteel families, and with a brilliant assembly. She was surprized, when she visited it in 1795, upon her voyage to Norway, to find the reality so very much below the picture in her imagination.
Hitherto Mr. Wollstonecraft had been a farmer; but the restlessness of his disposition would not suffer him to content himself with the occupation in which for some years he had been engaged, and the temptation of a commercial speculation66 of some sort being held out to him, he removed to a house in Queen’s-Row, in Hoxton near London, for the purpose of its execution. Here he remained for a year and a half; but, being frustrated67 in his expectations of profit, he, after that term, gave up the project in which he was engaged, and returned to his former pursuits. During this residence at Hoxton, the writer of these memoirs68 inhabited, as a student, at the dissenting69 college in that place. It is perhaps a question of curious speculation to enquire70, what would have been the amount of the difference in the pursuits and enjoyments71 of each party, if they had met, and considered each other with the same distinguishing regard in 1776, as they were afterwards impressed with in the year 1796. The writer had then completed the twentieth, and Mary the seventeenth year of her age. Which would have been predominant; the disadvantages of obscurity, and the pressure of a family; or the gratifications and improvement that might have flowed from their intercourse?
One of the acquaintances Mary formed at this time was with a Mr. Clare, who inhabited the next house to that which was tenanted by her father, and to whom she was probably in some degree indebted for the early cultivation72 of her mind. Mr. Clare was a clergyman, and appears to have been a humourist of a very singular cast. In his person he was deformed73 and delicate; and his figure, I am told, bore a resemblance to that of the celebrated74 Pope. He had a fondness for poetry, and was not destitute75 of taste. His manners were expressive76 of a tenderness and benevolence77, the demonstrations78 of which appeared to have been somewhat too artificially cultivated. His habits were those of a perfect recluse79. He seldom went out of his drawing-room, and he showed to a friend of Mary a pair of shoes, which had served him, he said, for fourteen years. Mary frequently spent days and weeks together, at the house of Mr. Clare.
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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incumbent
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| adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的 | |
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survivors
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| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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calumny
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| n.诽谤，污蔑，中伤 | |
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malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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benefactors
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| n.捐助者，施主( benefactor的名词复数 )；恩人 | |
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animation
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| n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作 | |
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esteemed
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| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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vindication
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| n.洗冤，证实 | |
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detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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veracity
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| n.诚实 | |
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ingenuousness
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| n.率直；正直；老实 | |
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impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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industrious
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| adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的 | |
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paternal
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| adj.父亲的，像父亲的，父系的，父方的 | |
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versatile
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| adj.通用的，万用的；多才多艺的，多方面的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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ambiguity
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| n.模棱两可；意义不明确 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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unconditional
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| adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的 | |
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submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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contradictory
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| adj.反驳的，反对的，抗辩的；n.正反对，矛盾对立 | |
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blighting
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| 使凋萎( blight的现在分词 )； 使颓丧； 损害； 妨害 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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counteract
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| vt.对…起反作用，对抗，抵消 | |
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surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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reproof
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| n.斥责，责备 | |
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chastisement
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| n.惩罚 | |
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passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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humbling
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| adj.令人羞辱的v.使谦恭( humble的现在分词 )；轻松打败（尤指强大的对手）；低声下气 | |
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apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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extravagantly
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| adv.挥霍无度地 | |
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displeased
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| a.不快的 | |
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abhorrence
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| n.憎恶；可憎恶的事 | |
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extort
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| v.勒索，敲诈，强要 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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51
infancy
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| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
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52
specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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53
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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stamina
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| n.体力；精力；耐力 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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58
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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propensity
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| n.倾向；习性 | |
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hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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61
boroughs
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| （尤指大伦敦的）行政区( borough的名词复数 )； 议会中有代表的市镇 | |
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wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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barges
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| 驳船( barge的名词复数 ) | |
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attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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speculation
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| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
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frustrated
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| adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧 | |
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memoirs
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| n.回忆录；回忆录传( mem,自oir的名词复数) | |
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dissenting
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| adj.不同意的 | |
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enquire
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| v.打听，询问；调查，查问 | |
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enjoyments
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| 愉快( enjoyment的名词复数 )； 令人愉快的事物； 享有； 享受 | |
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cultivation
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| n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成 | |
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deformed
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| adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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benevolence
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| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
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demonstrations
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| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
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recluse
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| n.隐居者 | |
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