ABSTRACT

Godwin’s autobiographical note for the year 1791 is somewhat longer than usual, and must be given in full, as showing the growth of his political views, and giving his first conception of his great work, the “Enquiry concerning Political Justice.” Godwin took Italian lessons, and his reading in all branches, from Greek plays and Greek philosophy to modern belles lettres, was vast. But he was an extremely discursive reader, and had several books in hand at once, carefully noting how many pages of each were read as the day’s task. He visited the theatre frequently, and took great interest in all that related to the stage. In the spring of 1791, Thomas Paine, whose acquaintance Godwin had made at the house of Mr Brand Hollis, published his celebrated pamphlet, “The Rights of Man,” in answer to Burke’s “Reflections on the French Revolution.”.