CHARLES BROCKDEN BROWN, born in Philadelphia, Pa., January 17, 1771,
died there, February 22, 1810, was originally intended for the bar,
but gave up that study for literature about 1796. He soon took rank
as a novelist of the first class, and was the first American to take
that place in English literature. His first writings were published
in Philadelphia periodicals, notably, _The Rhapsodist_, which
appeared in _The Columbian Magazine_. He published _The Monthly
Magazine_ and _American Review_ (1779-1799), and edited _The Literary
Magazine_ and _American Register_ from 1803 to 1808. He was with
Dunlap and Dr. Elihu Hubbard Smith, a member of the "Friendly Club"
in New York, and one of Dunlap's most devoted friends. He was one of
the first to advocate (in 1803) the purchase of Louisiana from
France; and in a series of articles published in that year strongly
urged the progressive territorial extension of the Union. He was
married in November, 1804, to Miss Elizabeth Linn, daughter of Rev.
Dr. William Linn of New York, and thus became the brother-in-law of
John Blair Linn, between whom and himself a lifelong attachment of
affection existed.
ALCUIN. A Dialogue on the Rights of Women. New York, 1797. 16mo.