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.

78

CLARA HOWARD; OR,

letter had produced, but, in reality, has given me uncommon pleasure. I flatter myself that your letter to Mrs.
Valentine will receive a speedy and satisfactory answer.
Human life, Philip, is a motley scene. Thou wilt not
thank me for the novelty of that remark; but the truth
of it, I think, has received new illustration in the little
incidents on which thy last letters have commented.
Had not the old nurse's tale incited thee to inquiry, thou
wouldst not, at this moment, have been in the way to gain
any knowledge of poor Mary: had not thy sad prognostics
filled me with melancholy, my mother's attention would
not have been excited to the cause of my uneasiness.
I did not conceal from her the cause. I made her
pretty well acquainted with the history of Mary. She
was deeply interested in the story I told, and suggested
many inquiries respecting her which I had overlooked.
She has made me extremely anxious as to some particulars on which perhaps you can give me the desired information.
Pray, tell me what you know of the history of her
family before her father's leaving Europe. Where was
he born? Where lived he? What profession did he follow? What know you of the history of Mary's mother?
Excuse me for confining myself, at present, to these
inquiries. Tell me all you know on this subject, and I
will then acquaint you with the motive of my inquisitiveness. I shall expect to hear from you on Thursday
morning.
Adieu. Be careful of thyself, if thou lovest thy
CLARA HOWARD.
LETTER XX.
To Clara Howard.
Philadelphia, May 8.
I AM at a loss, dear Clara, to account for thy questions; but I will answer them to the utmost of my power.
The same questions frequently occurred to me in my intercourse with the Wilmots. It was natural, you know,
to suppose that they had left relations in their native