Editing William Godwin (section)

== Early writing ==
Throughout 1783, Godwin published a series of written works, beginning with an anonymously-published biography of [[William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham|William Pitt the Elder]],{{Sfnm|1a1=Marshall|1y=2008|1p=194|2a1=Thomas|2y=2019|2p=9}} followed by a couple of pro-Whig political pamphlets.{{Sfn|Marshall|2008|p=194}} He also briefly attempted to return to ministerial work in [[Beaconsfield]], where he preached that "[[faith]] should be subordinated to [[reason]]".{{Sfn|Thomas|2019|p=9}} A few months later, during the opening of a [[seminary]] in [[Epsom]], Godwin gave a politically-charged speech in which he denounced [[state (polity)|state power]] as "artificial" and exalted the [[anarchism and education|libertarian potential of education]], which he believed could bring an end to [[authoritarianism|authoritarian governments]].{{Sfn|Marshall|2008|p=194}} Godwin then worked for a spell as a satirical literary critic, publishing ''The Herald of Literature'', in which he reviewed non-existent works by real authors, imitating their writing styles in lengthy quotations.{{Sfn|Thomas|2019|pp=9–10}}

His work on the ''Herald'' secured him further work as a critic for [[John Murray (publishing house)|John Murray]]'s ''[[English Review (18th century)|English Review]]'' and a commission to translate [[Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat|Simon Fraser]]'s memoirs. In 1784, he published the romantic novels ''Damon and Delia'' and ''Imogen'', the latter of which was [[Frame story|framed]] as a translation of a found manuscript from [[Wales in the Early Middle Ages|ancient Wales]].{{Sfn|Thomas|2019|p=10}} That same year, he also published ''Sketches of History'', which compiled six of his sermons about the characters of [[Aaron]], [[Hazael]] and [[Jesus]].{{Sfn|Marshall|1984|page=240}} Drawing from [[John Milton]]'s ''[[Paradise Lost]]'', which depicted [[Satan]] as a rebel against [[God in Christianity|his creator]],{{Sfn|Marshall|2008|p=194}} Godwin denounced the Christian God as a [[theocracy|theocrat]] and a [[tyrant]] that had no right to rule.{{Sfnm|1a1=Brailsford|1y=2009|1p=80|2a1=Marshall|2y=2008|2p=194}}

As his early works were financially unsuccessful, in 1784, William Godwin hoped John Collins, a wealthy owner of a sugar plantation in St. Vincent would fund his writing. He did not succeed but the close connection between Godwin and members of the Collins family continued for fifty years.<ref>Marion Kingston Stocking, ed. ''The Clairmont Correspondence: Letters of Claire Clairmont, Charles Clairmont, and Fanny Imlay Godwin'', 1808-1834 (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1995), vol. 1, p. 6, note 1.</ref> John Collin's eldest daughter [[Harriet de Boinville]] and William met seventy-two times between 1809 and 1827, and she championed Godwin's ''An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness'' (1793) at her salons during that time period.<ref>Thomas Jefferson Hogg, ''The Life of Percy Bysshe Shelley,'' in Humbert Wolfe, ed., ''The Life of Percy Bysshe Shelley'' (London: Dent, 1933), vol. II, p. 107.</ref>

In further attempts to earn money, Godwin started writing for well-paying Whig journals on [[Grub Street]], starting work as a [[Political journalism|political journalist]] for the ''[[New Annual Register]]'' after being introduced to [[George Robinson (bookseller)|Georgie Robinson]] by [[Andrew Kippis]].{{Sfn|Thomas|2019|pp=10–11}} Godwin's work was then picked up by the ''Political Herald'', where he wrote under the [[pseudonym]] of "[[Gaius Mucius Scaevola|Mucius]]" in order to attack the [[Tories (British political party)|Tories]].{{Sfn|Thomas|2019|p=11}} He subsequently reported on the [[First Pitt ministry|Pitt ministry]]'s colonial rule in [[British rule in Ireland|Ireland]] and [[Company rule in India|India]]; penned a history of the [[Dutch Revolt]] and predicted the outbreak of a [[Atlantic Revolutions|revolutionary wave]] in Europe.{{Sfn|Marshall|2008|pp=194–195}}

After the death of the ''Political Herald's'' editor, Godwin turned down [[Richard Brinsley Sheridan]]'s offer of succeeding to the editorship, out of concern that his [[editorial independence]] would be compromised by a direct financial connection to the [[Whigs (British political party)|Whig Party]].{{Sfn|Thomas|2019|p=11}} But it was through Sheridan that Godwin became acquainted with a life-long friend [[Thomas Holcroft]],{{Sfn|Thomas|2019|pp=11–12}} whose arguments convinced Godwin to finally reject [[Christianity]] and embrace [[atheism]].{{Sfnm|1a1=Brailsford|1y=2009|1pp=86–87|2a1=Marshall|2y=2008|2p=194|3a1=Thomas|3y=2019|3pp=11–12}} At the same time, Godwin took up a [[side job]] as a [[Tutoring|tutor]] for the young [[Thomas Abthorpe Cooper]]. After a fractious relationship between the two, Godwin eventually became the orphaned boy's [[Adoption#Parenting|adoptive father]], which altered his style of pedagogy to one that emphasised "an open and honest relationship between tutor and pupil."{{Sfn|Thomas|2019|p=12}}

With the outbreak of the [[French Revolution]], Godwin was among the [[Radicals (UK)|Radicals]] that enthusiastically welcomed the events as the spiritual successor to Britain's own [[Glorious Revolution]] of 1688.{{Sfn|Thomas|2019|p=13}} As a member of the [[Revolution Society]],{{Sfnm|1a1=Brailsford|1y=2009|1pp=87|2a1=Thomas|2y=2019|2pp=13–14}} Godwin met the political activist [[Richard Price]], whose ''[[A Discourse on the Love of Our Country|Discourse on the Love of Our Country]]'' espoused a radical form of [[patriotism]] that controversially upheld [[freedom of religion]], [[representative democracy]] and the [[right of revolution]].{{Sfn|Thomas|2019|pp=13–14}} Price's ''Discourse'' ignited a [[pamphlet war]], beginning with [[Edmund Burke]]'s publication of his ''[[Reflections on the Revolution in France]]'', which defended [[traditionalist conservatism]] and opposed revolution.{{Sfnm|1a1=Butler|1y=1984|1p=1|2a1=Marshall|2y=2008|2p=195|3a1=Thomas|3y=2019|3p=14}} In response to Burke, [[Thomas Paine]] published his ''[[Rights of Man]]'' with the help of Godwin,{{Sfnm|1a1=Butler|1y=1984|1pp=107–108|2a1=Marshall|2y=2008|2p=195|3a1=Thomas|3y=2019|3p=14–15}} who declared that "the seeds of revolution it contains are so vigorous in their stamina, that nothing can overpower them."{{Sfn|Thomas|2019|p=15}}

But Godwin's voice remained largely absent from the [[Revolution Controversy]], as he had started writing a work of [[political philosophy]] that developed on his [[radicalism (historical)|radical principles]].{{Sfn|Marshall|2008|p=195}} With George Robinson's financial support,{{Sfnm|1a1=Brailsford|1y=2009|1pp=89–90|2a1=Thomas|2y=2019|2pp=15–16}} Godwin quit his work at the ''New Annual Register'' and committed himself wholly to his ''[[magnum opus]]'',{{Sfn|Thomas|2019|pp=15-16}} which he hoped would condense the "best and most liberal in the [[political science|science of politics]] into a coherent system".{{Sfnm|1a1=Marshall|1y=2008|1p=195|2a1=Thomas|2y=2019|2pp=15–16}} After sixteen months' work, while the revolution in France had culminated with the [[execution of Louis XVI]] and the outbreak of [[French Revolutionary Wars|war]], Godwin published his ''[[Enquiry Concerning Political Justice]]'' in February 1793.{{Sfnm|1a1=Butler|1y=1984|1p=149|2a1=Thomas|2y=2019|2p=16}}