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 ORMOND; OR,
perty, she herself would become the property of another.
She was not unaware of the consequences flowing from
differences of capacity, and tlht power, to whomsoever
legally granted, will be exercised by the most addressful; but she derived no encouragement from these considerations. She would not stoop to gain her end by the
hateful arts of the sycophant, and was too wise to place
an unbounded reliance on the influence of truth. The
character, likewise, of this man sufficiently exempted him
from either of those influences.
She did not forget the nature of the altar-vows. To
abdicate the use of her own understanding was scarcely
justifiable in any case; but to vow an affection that was
not felt and could not be compelled, and to promise obedience to one whose judgment was glaringly defective,
were acts atrociously criminal. Education, besides, had
created in her an insurmountable abhorrence of admitting to conjugal privileges the man who had no claim upon
her love. It could not be denied that a state of abundant accommodation was better than the contrary; but
this consideration, though, in the most rational estimate,
of some weight, she was not so depraved and effeminate
as to allow to overweigh the opposite evils. Homely
liberty was better than splendid servitude.
Her resolution was easily formed, but there were certain impediments in the way of its execution. These
chiefly arose from deference to the opinion and compassion for the infirmities of her father. He assumed no
control over her actions. His reflections in the present
case were rather understood than expressed. When
uttered, it was with the mildness of equality and the
modesty of persuasion. It was this circumstance that
conferred upon them all their force. His decision, on so
delicate a topic, was not wanting in sagacity and moderation; but, as a man, he had his portion of defects, and
his frame was enfeebled by disease and care; yet he set
no higher value on the ease and independence of his
former condition than any man of like experience. He
could not endure to exist on the fruits of his daughter's
labour. He ascribed her decision to a spirit of excessive