in early october 1816, imlay left godwin's house in london and committed suicide on 9 october by taking an overdose of laudanum at an inn in swansea, wales; she was 22. the details surrounding her death and her motivations are disputed. most of the letters regarding the incident were destroyed or are missing. in his 1965 article "fanny godwin's suicide re-examined", b. r. pollin lays out the major theories that had been put forward regarding her suicide and which continue to be used today: