“. . . I know not how to speak of ‘St Leon’ so as to do you
justice. I always felt the insurmountable defect of the work, and the strained
if not improbable incidents that must be invented to exhibit a miserable man
who had every means of enjoyment in his power. You have repeated to me times
almost innumerable the necessity of keeping characters in action, and never
suffering them to sermonize, yet of this fault ‘St
Leon’ is particularly found guilty by all whom I have heard
speak of the work, with whom my feelings coincide. Is it then a weak and
unworthy performance? Far indeed the reverse. Men must have arrived at an
uncommon degree of general wisdom, when ‘St
Leon’ shall no longer be read. Your Marguerite is inimitable. Knowing the model after which you
drew, as often as I recollected it, my heart ached while I read. Your Bethlem Gabor is wonderfully drawn. It is like
the figures of Michel Angelo, any
section of an outline of which taken apart would be improbable and false, but
which are so combined as to form a sublime whole. Having read I could coldly
come back, and point to the caricature traits of the portrait, but while
reading I could feel nothing but astonishment and admiration. Through the
| 26 | WILLIAM GODWIN |
“Do you wilfully omit to sign your letters? No. The question is an outrage.
