ABSTRACT
291Tuesday, July 4. I have seen Mr. Godwin four times; some days ago we went by a general invitation, for the first time to drink tea with him; Henry preceded us; he saw Mrs. G[odwin] in the shop engaged in business, and apparently well; she did not know H[enry] as she had never seen him before, but finding that Mr. Godwin had awoke from his afternoon sleep, she desired him to walk up stairs. When we arrived she had left the shop, and Mr. Godwin who probably did not know that Henry had seen her, told us that she was extremely ill, and that he had written to me by the twopenny post about an hour before, to desire us not to come till we should hear from him again. This was an unlucky incident, but we were asked to stay, and tea was produced, the lady of course did not appear; our visit lasted about an hour and a half. Henry was desirous of becoming acquainted with William, 28 but he was from home and on our return we found by his card that he had called on us. The conversation was rather more lively than usual, but still it was, and must ever be full of restraint. Mr. Godwin has never yet spoken with any violent degree of bitterness respecting S[helley] but he accuses him of immorality, and says that he has deceived him, and failed in a solemn promise on the performance of which Mr. G. had depended. He asserts also that S[helley] has a particular enmity against truth, so that he utters falsehoods, and makes exaggerations even when no end is to be answered by them; he represents him as a lover of falsehood. In my first visit to Mr. Godwin, he asked me if I knew a Mrs. Mason, 29 a lady with whom Mrs. G[odwin] corresponded at Pisa; I answered in the negative. As I was taking leave of Mrs. G. down stairs, she asked me with great anxiety, if I had ever seen Lady M. C. I answered, that I had seen her at St. Peters church at Rome about the year 1803.
