The novels of Charles Brockden Brown, consisting of Wieland;or, The transformation. Arthur Mervyn; or, Memoirs of the year 1793. Edgar Huntly; or, Memoirs of a sleep-walker. Jane Talbot. Ormond; or, The secret witness. Clara Howard; or, The enthusiasm of love. With a memoir of the author.

JANE TALBOT. 25
in years, while his kindness and benevolence remained
undiminished.
His acquiescence in my brother's schemes can hardly
be ranked with follies: you, who know what scheme it
was, who know the intoxicating influence of a specious
project, and, especially, the wonderful address and plausibility of Catling, the adventurer who was my brother's
prime minister and chief agent in that ruinous transaction, will not consider their adopting the phantom as any
proof of the folly of either father or son. But let me
return. To my compliment to his experience and discretion, my father replied, " Why, truly, I hardly know
how it may turn out in the long run. At first, indeed, I
only consented to come down with a few thousands, the
total loss of which would not break my heart; but this,
it seems, though it was all they at first demanded, did
not prove quite sufficient. Some debts they were obliged
to contract, —to no great amount, indeed,-and these
must be paid or the scheme relinquished. Having gone
so far into the scheme, it was absurd to let a trifle stop
me. I must own, had I.foreseen all the demands that
have been made from time to time, I should never have
engaged in it; but I have been led on from one step to
another, till I fear it would avail me nothing to hesitate
or hold back; and Frank's representations are so very
plausible!"
"c Does your whole subsistence, then, my dear sir, depend on the success of this scheme? Suppose it should
utterly fail: what will be the consequences to yourself?"
"Fail! That is impossible. It cannot fail but
through want of money, and I am solemnly assured that
no more will be necessary."
"But how often, sir, has this assuranee been given?
No doubt with as much solemnity the first time as the
last."
My father began to grow impatient: —" It is useless,
Jane, to start difficulties and objections now. It is too
late to go, back, even if I were disinclined to go forward;
and I have no doubt of ultimate success. Be a good
girl, and you shall come in for a share of the profit.
Mrs. Fielder and I, between us, will make you the richest
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