He was early convinced that he would be an
author, and began with imitations of Homer
and Virgil, Ossian and Milton. American history
next attracted him, and he wrote some epics to
celebrate the discovery of America and the deeds
of his heroes, Cortez and Pizarro. He did not
venture, at first, to break through all custom and
distress his family by the choice of literature as a
profession; so he followed the example of his
father and three brothers, and studied law.
Meanwhile he had yearnings for literature, spent
much of his time in spinning fancies and literary
hopes, and contributed some verses and essays
to local journals. He told, with disgust, of the
fate of a "Poetical Address to Franklin," which
had been sent to an Edentown newspaper:

The blundering printer from his zeal or his ignorance,
or perhaps from both, substituted 'lie name of Washing-
ton for that of Franklin. Washington, therefore, stands
arrayed in awkward colours. Philosophy smiles to behold
her darling son; she turns with horror and disgust from
those who have won the laurel of victory in the field of
battle to this her favorite candidate who had never par-
ticipated in such bloody glory and whose fame was de-
rived from the conquest of philosophy alone."

The most absurd qualities were thus attributed to

° William Dunlap, Life of Charles Brockden Brown (New
York, i8is). Vol. I, p. 17, 18.
CHARLES BROCKDEN BROWN 287

Washington, until the poem became an unintelli-
gible farce, and was even regarded by some read-
ers as an intentional insult. More successful was
the young author in the series of essays called
"The Rhapsodist," which began in the Columbian
Magazine in April, 1789.
