• Name: Stewart, John (Walking Stewart)
• Gender: Male
• Birth Date: 19  February  1747
• Death Date: 20  February  1822
• Occupation: philosopher
• Occupation: traveller

Godwin meets Gilbert Stuart, the historian, in 1784 (according to the 1796 diary lists)., and he reads a good deal of Stuart in 1792-3 but Stuart dies in 1786, before the diary begins. In 1792, for the first time, he notes 'Walking Stuart' and this is followed by a consistent pattern of contact with Stuart, with them meeting frequently, frequently at Holcroft's or in company with Jardine and Thelwall. In 1793 Godwin informs him of his errors, but they keep meeting.

The pattern of entries suggests that he continues to mispell Walking Stewart's name until the end of 1793. The DNB entry suggests that Stewart is in Britain from 1791, and visits Paris just before the execution of the king of France, where he meets Wordsworth. There is a break in Godwin's diary entries at this time with Stuart appearing on 2 December 1792, next on 21 January 1793, and then next on 23 May 1793. This supports the view that these Stuart entries are in fact references to Walking Stewart. On 7 November 1793 'Stuart' ceases, and is replaced by 'Stewart'. There are no earlier 'Stewart' entries, save a reference to Dugald Stewart, whom Holcroft was reviewing. It is unclear what triggers this change of spelling, but that is what it appears to be - since the pattern of contacts is essentially similar.

Walking Stewart left Britain in the second half of the 1790s and is not registered as back in Britain until 1800 and he initially settled in Bath before moving to London in 1803. Godwin has one entry in 1798, and then a set of entries from 1800, although, for the first time, there are a range of initials involved - col Stewart, D Stewart, W Stewart, J Stewart and C Stewart, as well as plain Stewart entries. On 20 February 1820 Godwin notes that 'Walking Stewart dies.' Thereafter entries for Stewart and C Stewart continue.

Stewart is back in London from the early 1800s, largely until his death. He was a convivial man and it seems likely Godwin remainined in contact with him. John Taylor, Records of my Life, says that Stewart was a particular friend of his and that he used to hold dinner parties on Sunday evenings to which Taylor often went. These were often accompanied by musical events, to which Stewart was very partial. The entries for 1812 include several such sunday dinners at J Stewart's, with Taylor present; as do some for 1813 and 1817. On this basis we can conclude that J Stewart is being used for Walking Stewart, probably after 1800, when a W Stewart and a Col Stewart become part of Godwin's scene. In addition, some plain 'Stewart' entries can be identified as Walking Stewart from the occasion (dinner, Taylor, concert). This gives us warrant to assume that prior to Walking Stewart's death in 1822, Godwin used Stewart and J Stewart to refer to Walking Stewart.

Accordingly, Col Stewart and W. Stewart, have not been coded (although see the Dugald Stewart entry for D Stewart entries). Stewart entries after Walking Stewart's death in 1822 are coded for Charles Stewart. who financed Godiwn's shop in 1823. See also dep.c.766/1-02.

• MS. Abinger c. 17, fol. 33 [1793].
• DNB.
• John Taylor, Records of my Life, 2 vols (London, 1832).

This table lists the people this person is most frequently noted with in the diary.