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.

6 #.V.

ORMOND; OR,

He married before his return. The woman whom he
had selected was an unportioned orphan, and was recommended merely by her moral qualities. These, however,
were eminent, and secured to her, till the end of her life,
the affection of her husband. Though painting was capable of fully gratifying his taste as matter of amusement,
he quickly found that in his new situation it would not
answer the ends of a profession. His father supported
himself by the profits of his shop, but with all his industry he could do no more than procure a subsistence for
himself and his son.
Till his father's death young Dudley attached himself
to painting. His gains were slender; but he loved the art,
and his father's profession rendered his own exertions in a
great degree superfluous. The death of the elder Dudley
introduced an important change in his situation. It
thenceforth became necessary to strike into some new
path, to deny himself the indulgence of his inclinations
and regulate his future exertions by a view to nothing
but gain. There was little room for choice. His habits
had disqualified him for mechanical employments. He
could not stoop to the imaginary indignity which attended
them, nor spare the time necessary to obtain the requisite
degree of skill. His father died in possession of some
stock, and a sufficient portion of credit to supply its
annual decays. He lived at what they call a good stand,
and enjoyed a certain quantity of permanent custom.
The knowledge that was required was as easily obtained
as the elements of any other profession, and was not wholly
unallied to the pursuits in which he had sometimes engaged. Hence he could not hesitate long in forming his
resolution, but assumed the management of his father's
concerns with a cheerful and determined spirit.
The knowledge of his business was acquired in no long
time. He was stimulated to the acquisition by a sense
of duty, he was inured to habits of industry, and there
were few things capable to resist a strenuous exertion of
his faculties. Knowledge of whatever kind afforded a
compensation to labour; but, the task being finished, that
which remained, which in ordinary apprehensions would
have been esteemed an easy and smooth path, was to him