312 Appendix 2
1793 In Paris, Wollstonecraft initiates a romantic relationship
with the American Gilbert Imlay.
Imlay registers her as his wife at the U.S. embassy in
Paris, though they are not formally married, to ensure her
security as a British expatriate in enemy territory.
Wollstonecraft becomes pregnant. Imlay then leaves for
business in Le Havre, in northwestern coastal France.
1794 Wollstonecraft follows Imlay to Le Havre, where her
daughter Fanny Imlay (later Fanny Imlay Godwin) is born.
Imlay returns to Paris, followed by Wollstonecraft and
Fanny shortly thereafter.
Wollstonecraft’s philosophical history of the early,
liberal stage of the French Revolution, An Historical and
Moral View of the Origin and Progress of the French
Revolution, is published in London.
1795 The Directory takes power in France.
1795 Wollstonecraft and Fanny follow Imlay to London. Woll-
stonecraft learns of Imlay’s infi delity, then attempts suicide
by overdose of laudanum before Imlay intervenes.
During the summer months, Wollstonecraft and Fanny
travel to Scandinavia on business for Imlay.
After learning of Imlay’s continued infi delity upon her
return to London, Wollstonecraft attempts suicide for a
second time by jumping from Putney Bridge into the frigid
river Thames.
She recovers by writing a Romantic travel memoir of
her journey through Scandinavia, which has as its subtext
the dissolution of her romantic relationship with Imlay.
1796 Wollstonecraft’s Letters Written during a Short Residence
in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark is published in London.
She meets Godwin again in April, who was captivated
by her Letters Written during a Short Residence. They visit
each other and eventually become lovers.
Wollstonecraft makes a fi nal break with Imlay.
Wollstonecraft begins work on her feminist gothic
novel, Maria, or the Wrongs of Woman.
1797 Because of her unplanned pregnancy, Wollstonecraft
and Godwin choose to formally marry in March despite
their previous public criticisms of the patriarchal institu-