This might be taken to suggest that Godwin's son William set off to visit Mary Shelley but there is no mention of him at this time in Mary Shelley’s Diary (though he would have arrived in the midst of the chaos following Shelley’s disappearance and death). There is an entry for 'W' on 28 July suggesting he is in England and after that the first entry for William is 18 October 1822. Alternatively, Godwin may have a particular reason to record William writing to Mary.