Publisher's Synopsis
Italian Letters V1 and V2 is a two-volume collection of letters written by the English philosopher and novelist William Godwin during his travels in Italy in the late 18th century. The letters provide a detailed and vivid account of Godwin's experiences and observations of Italian culture, art, and society, as well as his encounters with notable figures such as Mary Wollstonecraft, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Lord Byron. The letters also reveal Godwin's philosophical and political views, including his criticism of the Catholic Church and his advocacy for rationalism and individualism. This book is a valuable resource for scholars and enthusiasts of 18th-century literature, philosophy, and history, as well as for those interested in Italian culture and society.But no, my Matilda, I am a stranger to these fears, my breast is unvisited by the demon of suspicion. I employ no precaution. I do not seek to constrain my passion. I lay my heart naked before you. I shall ever maintain the most grateful sense of the benevolent friendship of your venerable father, of your own unexampled and ravishing condescension. But love, my amiable Matilda, knows no distinction of rank. We cannot love without building our ardour upon the sense of a kind of equality. All obligations must here in a manner cease but those which are mutual. Those hearts that are sensible to the distance of benefactor and client, are strangers to the sweetest emotions of this amiable passion.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.