Arthur Mervyn; Or, Memoirs of the Year 1793

by Charles Brockden Brown

"Arthur Mervyn; Or, Memoirs of the Year 1793" by Charles Brockden Brown is a novel published in 1799. This influential work of American Gothic literature follows a young man who arrives in Philadelphia penniless and becomes entangled with a thief and forger. Set against the backdrop of the city's devastating yellow fever epidemic, the story unfolds as Arthur recounts his past to clear his name. The novel blurs the line between hero and villain, exploring moral ambiguity and psychological complexity in early America.