St. Leon

St. Leon is a novel written by William Godwin and published in 1799. The story follows the life of the eponymous character, St. Leon, who is a French nobleman living in the 18th century. St. Leon is a man who is obsessed with knowledge and the pursuit of wealth and power. He becomes involved in alchemy and discovers the secret to eternal life. However, his newfound immortality leads to a life of isolation and despair. He is forced to flee France during the Revolution and travels to England, where he assumes a false identity and attempts to start a new life. Along the way, he encounters a range of characters, including a group of bandits, a wealthy merchant, and a woman named Marguerite, whom he falls in love with. The novel explores themes of love, power, and the consequences of seeking ultimate knowledge. It is considered a classic of Gothic literature and is known for its complex characters and intricate plot.In the evening of the same day, my beloved Marguerite arrived unexpectedly at Paris. In the beginning of our separation, I had been to the last degree punctual in my letters. I had no pleasure so great, as retiring to my closet, and pouring out my soul to the most adorable of women. By degrees I relaxed in punctuality. Ordinary occupations, however closely pursued, have a method in them, that easily combines with regularity in points of an incidental nature. But gaming, when pursued with avidity, subverts all order, and forces every avocation from the place assigned it.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.