Letter I

Portraits

Mary Wollstonecraft (Photogravure) Frontispiece

Mary Wollstonecraft, by Opie. From an engraving by Ridley facing p. xvi

Mary Wollstonecraft, from the picture by Opie facing p. xxvi

Letters to Gilbert Imlay

Two o’Clock [Paris, June 1793].

My dear love, after making my arrangements for our snug dinner to-day, I have been taken by storm, and obliged to promise to dine, at an early hour, with the Miss ——s, the only day they intend to pass here. I shall however leave the key in the door, and hope to find you at my fire-side when I return, about eight o’clock. Will you not wait for poor Joan?—whom you will find better, and till then think very affectionately of her.

Yours, truly,
Mary.

I am sitting down to dinner; so do not send an answer.