A year
later he _pub._ his masterpiece, _Caleb Williams_, a novel exhibiting a
sombre strength rarely equalled. The next few years were occupied in
political controversy, for which G. was, by his sincerity and his
masculine style, well fitted; and it was in the midst of these--in
1797--that his first marriage, already alluded to, and the death of his
wife, of whom he _pub._ a singular but interesting Life, occurred. In
1799 his second great novel, _St. Leon_, based upon the philosopher's
stone and the elixir of life, appeared. His other novels, _Fleetwood_
(1804), _Mandeville_ (1817), and _Cloudesley_ (1830), are much inferior.
In addition to these works G. brought out an elaborate _Life of Chaucer_
in 2 vols. (1803), _An Essay on Sepulchres_ (1808), containing much fine
thought finely expressed, _A History of the Commonwealth_, an Essay
against the theories of Malthus (_q.v._), and his last work, _Lives of
the Necromancers_. For some time he engaged in the publishing business,
in which, however, he ultimately proved unsuccessful. In his later years
he had the office of Yeoman Usher of the Exchequer conferred upon him.
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