gings on George Street, to larger, finer rooms on Store Street,
Bedford Square, and these she furnished comfortably. Necessity was no
longer her only standard. She also gave more care to her dress. Her stern
apprenticeship was over. She had so successfully trampled upon the
thorns in her path that she could pause to enjoy the flowers. To modern
readers her new furniture and gowns are welcome signs of the awakening of
the springtime in her cold and wintry life. But her sisters resented
them, particularly because, while they, needing less, received less from
her bounty, Charles, waiting for a good opening in America, was living at
her expense. He, with thoughtless ingratitude, sent them semi-satirical
accounts of her new mode of living, and thus unconsciously kindled their
jealousy into a fierce flame. When the extent of Mary's kindness and
self-sacrifice in their regard is remembered, the petty ill-nature of
brother and sisters, as expressed in the following letter from Mrs.
Bishop to Everina, is unpardonable:--

UPTON CASTLE, July 3, 1792.

... He [Charles] informs me too that _Mrs. Wollstonecraft_ is grown
quite handsome; he adds likewise that, being conscious she is on
the wrong side of thirty, she now endeavors to set off those charms
she once despised, to the best advantage. This, _entre nous_, for
he is delighted with her affection and kindness to him.

So the author of "The Rights of Women" is going to France! I dare
say her chief motive is to promote poor Bess's comfort, or thine,
my girl, or at least I think she will so reason. Well, in spite of
reason, when Mrs. W. reaches the Continent she will be but a woman!
I cannot help painting her in the height of all her wishes, at the
very summit of happiness, for will not ambition fill every chink of
her great soul (for such I really think hers) that is not occupied
by love? After having drawn this sketch, you can hardly suppose me
so sanguine as to expect my pretty face will be thought of when
matters of State are in agitation, yet I know you think such a
miracle not impossible. I wish I could think it at all probable,
but, alas! it has so much the appearance of castle-building that I
think it will soon disappear like the "baseless fabric of a vision,
and leave not a wrack behind."

And you actually have the vanity to imagine that in the National
Assembl