Comprehensive Primary Bibliography
The Writings of Charles Brockden Brown, 1783-1822
Introduction Publications Manuscripts Removed Items Abbreviations & Works CitedUnpublished Manuscripts
Last updated 10/20/2020
A. Letters
CBBSE
Census of the Letters of Charles Brockden Brown
This listing identifies all known letters of Charles Brockden Brown. The census is based on the previous work of Holmes-Cavnar (1998) and Bennett (1976), and updates their findings with scholarship up to 2008. The census provides a complete listing of extant letters (in manuscript or earlier transcriptions) and of letters known only by mention in diaries and other sources, or quoted fragmentarily by their recipients.
Item number; recipient; date or [date] if uncertain; (Bennett number [B], Holmes-Cavnar number[HC]); "opening words"; MS location
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1788
1788-L-001 To Unknown, 13 June 1788. (B1, HC2) "A Wilcocks went out of town" MS HSP
1790
1790-L-002 To [John Davidson], [Before December 1790] (B3, HC4) "Emilius, the friend of Charles" No MS: Paraphrase Allen, 44-46
1791
1791-L-003 To William Wood Wilkins, [Late 1791] (B4, HC5) "Listen my friend, the diallogue is short" MS Virginia
1792
1792-L-004 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., [20 March 1792] (B5, HC6) "It is certain that in general the excellence" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-005 To William Wood Wilkins, [Early or mid 1792] (B6, HC7) "Here I am seated at my desk" MS Texas
1792-L-006 To William Wood Wilkins, [Summer 1792] (B7, HC8) "What, my friend, art thou certainly awake?" No MS: Transcript Allen, 57-60
1792-L-007 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., Received 5 May 1792 (B12, HC13) "I have been conversing with Rousseau" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-008 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 6 May 1792 (B13, HC14) "Oh, my friend!" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-009 To [Joseph Bringhurst, Jr.], [7 May 1792] (B14, HC15) "Consolation didst thou say?" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-010 To [Joseph Bringhurst, Jr.], [May 1792] (B15, HC16) "Tarry a little, my good friend" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-011 To [Joseph Bringhurst, Jr.], Received 9 May 1792 (B16, HC17) "I devote almost all my leisure" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-012 To William Wood Wilkins, [May 1792] (B17, HC18) "Why is my inclination" No MS: Transcript Clark 1948, 79-82
1792-L-013 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 13 May 1792 (B18, HC19) "I very much regret" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-014 To William Wood Wilkins, [May 1792] (B19, HC20) "Write to me my friend, I beseach you" MS Princeton
1792-L-015 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., Received 16 May 1792 (B20, HC21) "I have, my dearest friend, pretty copiously" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-016 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., [19] May 1792 (B21, HC22) "My friend, I cannot express the pleasure" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-017 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., Received 20 May 1792 (B22, HC23) "Proceed my friend in your career" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-018 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 30 May 1792 (B23, HC24) "I am extreemly pleased with your vision" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-019 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 1 June 1792 (B24, HC25) "There are certain persons who" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-020 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., [Between 1 and 9 June 1792] (B25, HC26) "Thou receivest this because it is intended" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-021 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 9 June 1792 (B26, HC27) "I am extremely sorry to hear" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-022 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 10 June 1792 (B27, HC28) "As I have already observed" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-023 To [William Wood Wilkins], [Summer 1792] (B28, HC29) "I have read your letter. It is short." No MS: Transcript Allen, 50-55
1792-L-023A To William Wood Wilkins, [Summer 1792] "In answer to your note" MS Delaware
1792-L-024 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 9 August 1792 (B30, HC31) "How pleasing is the converse" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-025 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., [Oct.-Nov. 1792] (B8, HC9) "I have read your letter by favour of my friend" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-026 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., [Oct.-Nov. 1792] (B9, HC10) "No sooner have I read your letter" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-027 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., [Oct.-Nov. 1792] (B10, HC11) "I have read your letter with the utmost satisfaction" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-028 To William Wood Wilkins, [After October 1792] (B11, HC12) "The more I reflect the more clearly do I perceive" MS Virginia
1792-L-029 To William Wood Wilkins, 3 November 1792 (B31, HC32) "I have, at this moment" No MS: Transcript Clark 1948, 93-95
1792-L-030 To William Wood Wilkins, November 1792 (B33, HC33) "I am glad to see you" MS Virginia
1792-L-031 To William Wood Wilkins, [Between 5 and 27 November 1792] (B32, H34) "Why, my friend, is there so" No MS: Transcript Allen, 61-67
1792-L-032 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 1 December 1792 (B34, HC35) "There is a kind of intercourse which" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-033 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 9 December 1792 (B35, HC36) "You seem, my friend, to think" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-034 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 11 December 1792 (B36, HC37) "You impose the task of writing on me" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-035 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., [13 December 1792] (B29, HC30) "I must solicit your forgiveness" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-036 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 21 December 1792 (B38, HC38) "What an abundance of absurdity" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-037 To William Wood Wilkins, 31 December 1792 (B37, HC39) "I received a letter from you" No MS: Transcript Clark 1948, 101-103
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1793
1793-L-038 To William Wood Wilkins, 22 January 1793 (B39, HC40) MS Texas
1793-L-039 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., [Before 21 April 1793] (B41, HC41) "I said truth when I said" MS Bowdoin
1793-L-040 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 21 April 1793 (B40, HC42) "I have so long been" MS Bowdoin
1793-L-041 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., [April-May 1793] (B42, HC43) "The anxiety which you express" MS Bowdoin
1793-L-042 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 22 May 1793 (B43, HC44) "You have doubtless been concerned" MS Bowdoin
1793-L-043 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 11 June 1793 (B44 & B46, HC45) "I have just received your most" MS Bowdoin
1793-L-044 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., [Before 22 July 1793 (B45, HC46) "I reflect upon my present situation" MS Bowdoin
1793-L-045 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 25 July 1793 (B47, HC47) "It is with relectance that I" MS Bowdoin
1793-L-046 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 29 July and 1 August 1793 (B48, HC48) "I cannot help regretting that" MS Bowdoin
1793-L-047 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 16 August 1793 (B49, HC49) "Your last very curious" MS Bowdoin
1792-L-047A To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 29 August 1793 "No doubt thou hast expected to hear" MS Delaware
1793-L-048 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., [After 20 December 1793 and 8 January 1794] (B50 & B66, HC50) "I was sitting in the humble" MS Bowdoin
1794
1794-L-049 To William Johnson, 13 February 1794 (B51, HC51) "Mr. Smith, the pleasure" MS HSP
1794-L-049A To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 24 February 1794 "You see that I have not forgotten" MS Delaware
1794-L-050 To William Dunlap, 13 August 1794 (B52, HC52) "It will doubtless be pleasing" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1834, III.33
1794-L-051 To Deborah Ferris, 4 October 1794. (Not in B, HC53) "Most respected friend" MS Bowdoin
1794-L-052 To William Dunlap, 28 November 1794 (B53, HC54) "How many weeks have" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.91-93
1795
1795-L-053 To James Brown, 19 April 1795 (B56, HC55) "Our brother Joseph is just leaving" MS Virginia
1795-L-054 To William Dunlap, September 1795 (B59, HC56) "Soon after my return" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1834, III.3
1795-L-055 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 22 September 1795 (B60, HC57) No MS: Paraphrase and receipt noted Smith, 60 and 74
1795-L-056 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 23 October 1795 (B61, HC58) No MS: Receipt noted Smith, 80
1795-L-057 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 24 October 1795 (B62B63, HC59) "I have just received your letter" MS Bowdoin
1795-L-058 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 30 October 1795 (B64, HC60) "I shall not I fear be able" MS Bowdoin
1795-L-059 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, 10 December 1795 (B65, HC61) No MS: Paraphrase Smith, 100-101, 102, 114
1795-L-060 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 30 December 1795 (B68, HC63) No MS: Paraphrase Smith, 117
1795-L-061 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 29 and 30 December 1795 (B67, HC62) "I was going to apologize" MS Bowdoin
1796
1796-L-062 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 1 January 1796 (B69, HC64) "I have just received yours" MS Bowdoin
1796-L-063 To William Dunlap, February 1796 (B70, HC65) "After wandering through fifty" No MS: Transcript and paraphrase Dunlap 1834, III.3-4
1796-L-064 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 23 April 1796 (B71, HC66) No MS: Paraphrase and transcript Smith, 158, 163-164
1796-L-065 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, 10 May 1796 (B72, HC67) No MS: Transcript and paraphrase: Smith, 167 and 170-171
1796-L-066 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 11 May 1796 (B73, HC68) "Thou escaped'st, my good friend" MS Bowdoin
1796-L-066A To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 13 May 1796 "It is some time since I recieved [sic] thy letter" MS Delaware
1796-L-067 To William Dunlap and Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 17 May 1796 (B74, HC69) No MS: Receipt noted Smith, 168
1796-L-068 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 7 July 1796 (B75, HC70) No MS: Transcript and paraphrase Smith, 184
1796-L-069 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 11 July 1796 (B76, HC71) "Why have I not lately heard from thee, Josepho?" MS Bowdoin
1796-L-070 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 20 July 1796 (B77, HC72) "How shall I account" MS Bowdoin
1796-L-071 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 21 July 1796 (B78, HC73) No MS: Receipt noted Smith, 188
1796-L-072 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 1 August 1796 (B79, HC74) No MS: Paraphrase Smith, 197
1796-L-073 To James Brown, 1 September 1796 (B80, HC75) "[...]pectations of the beginning of last week" MS Columbia
1796-L-074 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 14 September 1796 (Not in B, HC76) "I came hither yesterday." MS Bowdoin
1796-L-075 To James Brown, 25 October 1796 (B81, HC77) "I have been busy" MS LCP
1796-L-075A To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 10 January 1797 "At our friend EH Smiths request" MS Delaware
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1797
1797-L-076 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 21 January 1797 (B82, HC78) No MS: Receipt noted Smith, 282
1797-L-076A To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 14 March 1797 "I have been writing two letters" MS Delaware
1797-L-077 To [William] Johnson, Received 23 March 1797 (B83, HC79) No MS: Receipt noted Smith, 302
1797-L-077A To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 24 March 1797 "I recieved [sic] thy letter, but not till Yesterday" MS Delaware
1797-L-078 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 27 April 1797 (B84, HC80) No MS: Receipt noted Smith, 314
1797-L-079 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 7 June 1797 (B85, HC81)
1797-L-080 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 18 July 1797 (B86, HC82) No MS: Receipt noted Smith, 323; Paraphrase and transcript Smith, 336-337, 338
1797-L-081 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 7 August 1797 (B87, HC83)
1797-L-082 To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 19 August 1797 (B88, HC84) "I arrived safely in town at 2 OClock" MS Bowdoin
1797-L-083 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 29 August 1797 (B89, HC85) No MS: Paraphrase and receipt noted Smith, 352 and 364
1797-L-083A To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 21 September 1797 "There is a person going immediately" MS Delaware
1798
1798-L-084 To William Dunlap, Received 1 January 1798 (B90, HC86) "It is nearly twelve months since I parted from you" MS HSP
1798-L-085 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 2 January 1798 (B91, HC87) No MS: Paraphrase and receipt noted Smith, 413, 417-18
1798-L-086 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 27 March 1798 (B92, HC88) No MS: Paraphrase Smith, 433-434
1798-L-087 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 9 April 1798 (B93, HC89) No MS: receipt noted Smith, 436
1798-L-088 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 17 April 1798 (B94, HC90) No MS: receipt noted Smith, 438, 442
1798-L-089 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 24 April 1798 (B95, HC91) No MS: receipt noted Smith, 439-440
1798-L-090 To Susan Potts, Received 24 April 1798 (B96, HC92) No MS: Receipt noted with 090 in Smith, 439-440
1798-L-091 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 30 April 1798 (B97, HC93) No MS: Paraphrase Smith, 441
1798-L-092 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 7 May 1798 (B98, HC94) No MS: Receipt noted Smith, 444
1798-L-093 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 22 May 1798 (B99, HC95) No MS: Receipt noted Smith, 445
1798-L-094 To Elihu Hubbard Smith, Received 9 June 1798 (B100, HC96) No MS: Receipt noted Smith, 448
1798-L-095 To James Brown, 25 August 1798 (B102, HC98) "heavy rains, uncleansed sinks, and a continuance" No MS: Transcript and paraphrase Dunlap 1815, II.3-4
1798-L-096 To [James Brown], [August-September 1798] (B101, HC97) "This romantic turn was not" No MS: Paraphrase Allen, 60-61
1798-L-097 To James Brown, 4 September 1798 (B103, HC99) "When did you learn to rely upon rumour and news-paper information" No MS: Transcript and paraphrase Dunlap 1815, II.4-5
1798-L-098 To William Dunlap, 4 September 1798 (B104, HC100) "Your letter was very acceptable & seasonable" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1930, I.335-336
1798-L-099 To James Brown, [Between 4 and 12 September 1798] (B105, HC101) "[T]his pestilential air seems to be extending itself" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.5
1798-L-100 To Maria Nicholson, [Between 7 and 16 September 1798] (B106, HC102) "So! A postscript from whom?" MS Virginia
1798-L-101 To James Brown, 17 September 1798 (B107, HC103) "When calamity is at a distance" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.7-8
1798-L-102 To William Dunlap, Received 18 September 1798 (B108, HC104) "10 OClock receive a letter from C B Brown" No MS: Paraphrase Dunlap 1930 I.339; Paraphrase Dunlap 1834, III.5
1798-L-103 To [James] Brown, 18 and 20 September 1798 (B109, HC105) "What shall I write" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.9-10
1798-L-103A To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., [Between 19 and 24 September 1798] "Inclosed is the letter that I promised to send thee" MS Delaware
1798-L-104 To William Dunlap, 21 September 1798 (B110, HC106) "Well my beloved friend!" No MS: Transcript and paraphrase Dunlap 1930, I.341
1798-L-105 To [Unknown, possible James Brown], [24 September 1798] (B111, HC107) "the weather has lately changed for the better" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.10
1798-L-106 To [James] Brown, 25 September 1798 (B112, HC108) "It is with great pleasure, that I now inform you" No MS: Transcript and paraphrase Dunlap 1815, II.10-11
1798-L-106A To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 20 October 1798 "Tho' I have been silent so long" MS Delaware
1798-L-107 To Armitt Brown, 20 December 1798 (B114, HC110) "What excuse to make for my long silence" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815 II.93-94
1798-L-108 To Thomas Jefferson, 25 December 1798 (B115, HC109) "After some hesitation a stranger to the person" MS LC
1798-L-109 To Armitt Brown, Late December 1798 (B113, HC111) "Eight of my friends here" No MS: Transcript and paraphrase Dunlap 1815, II.11
1799
1799-L-110 To A[rmitt] Brown, 1 January 1799 (B116, HC112) "I have neither wife nor children who look" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.94-95
1799-L-111 To James Brown, 15 February 1799 (B117, HC113) "I know not why I suffered your last" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.97-99
1799-L-111A To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 19 March 1799 "I received thy letter, thy last letter" MS Delaware
1799-L-112 To James Brown, 26 July 1799 (B118, HC114) "I am not sure that the present disposition" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.95-97
1800
1800-L-113 To William P. Beers, 12 February 1800 (B119, HC115) "I am sorry that the first time" MS Virginia
1800-L-114 To James Brown, April 1800 (B120, HC116) "I received your letter and the volumes" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.99-100
1800-L-115 To R[obert] P[roud], 1 September 1800 (B121, HC117) "I hoped to have met thee in this city" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.100-102
1800-L-116 To [Unknown], 15 December 1800 (B122, HC118) "Pray tell me what sort of woman is this" MS Texas
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1801
1801-L-117 To Elizabeth Linn, 17 February [1801] (B123, HC119) "When with you, it is your province to talk" MS Texas
1801-L-118 To Elizabeth Linn, 20 February [1801] (B124, HC120) "What a melancholy, mortified, perplexed hour" MS Texas
1801-L-119 To Elizabeth Linn, 28 February [1801] (B125, HC121) "So it seems, my note placed things on their right footing" MS Texas
1801-L-120 To Elizabeth Linn, 2 March [1801] (B126, HC122) "Seated, I suppose, at her needle" MS Texas
1801-L-121 To Elizabeth Linn, [Likely 24 February or 3 March 1801] (B155, HC148) "I must subdue this disposition to repine" MS Texas
1801-L-122 To Elizabeth Linn, 6-7 March [1801] (B127, HC123) "Let me overlook—let me erase" MS Texas
1801-L-123 To Elizabeth Linn, 10 March [1801] (B128, HC124) "I hope, my best friend, thou wilt be abroad" MS Texas
1801-L-124 To Elizabeth Linn, [Before 17 March 1801] (B154, HC147) "How arrogant & ungrateful was I" MS Texas
1801-L-125 To Elizabeth Linn, 17-18 March [1801] (B129 & B130, HC125) "What would I not give that every evening" MS Texas
1801-L-126 To Elizabeth Linn, [Likely 19 March 1801] (B150 & B151, HC144) "So, says my domestic physician" MS Texas
1801-L-127 To Elizabeth Linn, 23 March [1801] (B131, HC126) "So you wish me to be your task setter" MS Texas
1801-L-128 To Elizabeth Linn, 27 March [1801] (B133, HC127) "What a peevish, discontented wretch was I" MS Texas
1801-L-129 To Elizabeth Linn, 30 March [1801] (B134, HC128) "I write in odd situations" MS Texas
1801-L-130 To Elizabeth Linn, 31 March [1801] (B135, HC129) "I parted from you last night with some uneasiness" MS Texas
1801-L-131 To Elizabeth Linn, 1 April [1801] (B136, HC130) "What impertinents and headaches" MS Texas
1801-L-132 To Elizabeth Linn, 2 April [1801] (B137, HC131) "Know you I disposed" MS Texas
1801-L-133 To Elizabeth Linn, 3-4 [April 1801] (B138 & B139, HC132) "Another charming evening with my love!" MS Texas
1801-L-134 To Elizabeth Linn, 6 [April 1801] (B140, HC133) "Fancy is a kind friend." MS Texas
1801-L-135 To Elizabeth Linn, 9 April [1801] (B141, HC134) "You did sit down a few minutes in the day, then" MS Texas
1801-L-136 To Elizabeth Linn, 10-11 April [1801] (B142 & 132, HC135 & HC136) "I believe I am an arrant simpleton" MS Texas
1801-L-137 To Elizabeth Linn, 13 April [1801] (B143, HC137) "Did you see your friend to day?" MS Texas
1801-L-138 To Elizabeth Linn, 14 April [1801] (B144, HC138) "How sweetly serene, how joyously bright" MS Texas
1801-L-139 To Elizabeth Linn, 16 April [1801] (B145, HC139) "How does my friend to day?" MS Texas
1801-L-140 To Elizabeth Linn, [Likely 16 April 1801] (B152, HC145) "What words can sufficiently convey" MS Texas
1801-L-141 To Elizabeth Linn, 19 April [1801] (B146, HC140) "I saw my love an age ago" MS Texas
1801-L-142 To Elizabeth Linn, [Between 19 and 27 April 1801] (B149, HC143) "Am I not to share with my beloved" MS Texas
1801-L-143 To Elizabeth Linn, 27 April [1801] (B147, HC141) "Did you not request me to be your monitor; your tutor?" MS Texas
1801-L-144 To Elizabeth Linn, 29 April [1801] (B148, HC142) "How strange, how whimsical" MS Texas
1801-L-145 To Elizabeth Linn, [Likely week of 27 April to 1 May 1801] (B157, HC150) "It does not much become a wise man" MS Texas
1801-L-146 To John E[lihu] Hall, 8 May 1801 (B158, HC151) "The printer has made considerable progress" MS Haverford
1801-L-147 To Anthony Bleeker, 31 October 1801 (B159, HC152) "I need not say with how much pleasure I read your letter" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.103-104
1802
1802-L-148 To Mary Linn, 9 January 1802 (B160, HC153) "Will my friend do me the favour to accept" MS Virginia
1802-L-149 To [William Johnson], 4 May 1802 (B161, HC154) "The bearer of this is Mr. Robert Cumming" MS Harvard
1802-L-150 To [John Blair Linn], 8 July 1802 (B162, HC155) "Every day have I said: 'Well, this morning I will write'" MS NYPL
1802-L-151 To Thomas Pym Cope, Received 8 July 1802 (Not in B, HC156) No MS: Paraphrase Cope, 129
1802-L-152 To R[ebecca Linn], 13 August 1802 (B163, HC157) "Well, I hope your Sunday's journey" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.105-106
1802-L-153 To R[ebecca Linn], 9 October 1802 (B164, HC158) "So, my good Rebecca, your brother tells me" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.106-108
1801-L-154 To Elizabeth Linn, [Likely November or December 1802] (B156, HC149) "I wish I could see & talk with my friend" MS Texas
1802-L-155 To [Elizabeth Linn], 13 November [1802] (B165, HC159) "I hope to see my beloved in a few hours" MS Texas
1802-L-156 To Elizabeth Linn, 15 November [1802] (B166, HC160) "I hope your jaunt may be a pleasant one" MS Texas
1802-L-157 To Elizabeth Linn, 7 December 1802 (B167, HC161) "How did your paper delight & pain me!" MS Texas
1802-L-158 To Elizabeth Linn, 21 December [1802] (B168, HC162) "This is the first day of resuming this desk" MS Texas
1803
1803-L-159 To [Elizabeth Linn], 15 January [1803] (B169, HC163) "I wished to greet my dearest friend" MS Texas
1803-L-160 To R[ebecca Linn], 18 January 1803 (B170, HC164) "Little did either of us dream" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.108-110
1803-L-161 To Samuel Miller, 16 March 1803 (B171, HC165) "I received your letter by M Linn" MS Princeton
1803-L-162 To [Elizabeth Linn], 18 March 1803 (B172, HC166) "I want to see you this afternoon" MS Texas
1803-L-163 To Samuel Miller, 20 June 1803 (B173, HC167) "The enclosed has been the result of several attempts" MS Princeton
1804
1804-L-164 To [Elizabeth Linn], 25 March 1804 (B174, HC168) "I intended this to be a busy day" MS Texas
1804-L-165 To John Blair Linn, 4 July 1804 (B175, HC169) "Mrs. L. gives me the pleasure of hearing" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.110-112
1804-L-166 To William Linn, 8 December 1804 (B176, HC170) "I am sensible that many apologies are due" MS HSP
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1805
1805-L-167 To William Dunlap, 25 February 1805 (B177, HC171) "When I recognized your hand in the superscription" MS HSP
1805-L-168 To William Dunlap, 6 November 1805 (B178, HC173) "I wish, notwithstanding, my neglect of your last" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.112-113
1806
1806-L-169 To Thomas Pym Cope, Received 20 January 1806 (Not in B, HC174) No MS: Paraphrase Cope, 192
1806-L-170 To Elizabeth Linn Brown, 17 June 1806 (B179, HC175) "I am here in Albany at last" MS HSP
1806-L-171 To John E[lihu] Hall, 26 July 1806 (B180, HC176) "I hope you have never known by experience" MS Haverford
1806-L-172 To John H[oward] Payne, 25 August 1806 (B181, HC177) "When I parted with you at Albany" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.116-118
1806-L-173 To Susan [Linn], [After August]1806 (B183, HC179) "Odd enough, my dear S. that M. should refer you to me" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, 115-116
1806-L-174 To John E[lihu] Hall, 21 November 1806 (B182, HC178) "I should deserve to be entirely discarded" MS Virginia
1807
1807-L-175 To W[illiam] Keese, 16 October 1807 (B184, HC180) "Your agreeable letter arrived this moment" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.119-120
1808
1808-L-176 To J[ohn] B. Romeyn, 18 January 1808 (B185, HC181) "Permit me to thank you for the kind letter" MS Virginia
1809
1809-L-177 To [Albert Gallatin], 12 January 1809 (Not in B, HC182) "Tho I have not the pleasure & honour of any formal acquaintance" MS NYHS
1809-L-178 To J[ohn] H[oward] Payne, [March] 1809 (B186, HC183) "I have not forgotten you" No MS: Transcript Dunlap 1815, II.118-119
1809-L-179 To Mary [Linn], Summer 1809 (B187, HC184) "My dearest Mary; instead of wandering about" No MS: Transcript and paraphrase Dunlap 1815, II.86-88
A.1. Manuscript Collections for Letters
Total: 122 Letters in MS in 14 collections.
2. 1792-L-047A, To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 29 August 1793, 444 words
3. 1794-L-049A, To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 24 February 1794, 2293 words
4. 1796-L-066A, To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 13 May 1796, 1235 words
5. 1796-L-075A, To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 10 January 1797, 1607 words
6. 1797-L-076A, To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 14 March 1797, 804 words
7. 1797-L-077A, To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 24 March 1797, 846 words
8. 1797-L-083A, To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 21 September 1797, 569 words
9. 1798-L-0103A, To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., [Between 19 and 24 September 1798], 68 words
10. 1798-L-106A, To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 20 October 1798, 753 words
11. 1799-L-111A, To Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., 19 March 1799, 1431 words
2. #28 To Wilkins, [1792], 2215 words
3. #30 To Wilkins, [November 1792], 1123 words
4. #53 To James Brown, 19 April 1795, 389 words
5. #100 To Maria Nicholson, [September?] 1798, 314 words
6. #113 To William Pitt Beers, 12 February 1800, 143 words
7. #148 To Mary Linn, 9 January 1802, 239 words
8. #174 To John Elihu Hall, 21 November 1806, 566 words
9. #176 To John B. Romeyn, 18 January 1808, 516 words
2. #49 To William Johnson, 13 February 1794, 258 words
3. #84 To William Dunlap, 1 January 1798, 288 words
4. #166 To William Linn, 8 December 1804, 318 words
5. #167 To William Dunlap, 25 February 1805, 565 words
6. #170 To Elizabeth Linn Brown, 17 June 1806, 567 words
2. #161 To Samuel Miller, 16 March 1803, 621 words
3. #163 To Samuel Miller, 20 June 1803, 140 words
2. #171 To John Elihu Hall, 26 July 1806, 872 words
Earlier Censuses of Brown's Letters
Bennett, Charles (1976). "The Letters of Charles Brockden Brown: An Annotated Census." Re sources for American Literary Study 6, 164-190.
Homes, John R. and M.M. Cavnar (1998). "A Revised Checklist of the Letters of Charles Brockden Brown." Typescript.
Publications with transcriptions or mentions of the Letters
Allen, Paul (1975). Life of Charles Brockden Brown, ed. Charles E. Bennett. Delmar, NY: Scholars' Facsimiles and Reprints.
Clark, David Lee (1952). Charles Brockden Brown: Pioneer Voice of America. Durham: Duke University Press.
__________ (1948). "Unpublished Letters of Charles Brockden Brown and W. W. Wilkins." University of Texas Studies in English, 17 (June 1948), 75-107.
Cope, Thomas Pym (1978). Philadelphia Merchant: The Diary of Thomas Pym Cope, 1800-1851. Ed. Eliza Cope Harrison. South Bend, IN: Gateway Editions.
Dunlap, William (1834). "Charles Brockden Brown." National Portrait Gallery of Distinguished Americans, ed. James Herring and James B. Longacre. 3 vols. New York: M. Bancroft.
__________ (1832). History of the American Theatre. New York: Harper.
_________ (1815). Life of Charles Brockden Brown. 2 vols. Philadelphia: James P. Parke, 1815. [Dunlap Life]
Marble, Annie Russell (1907). Heralds of American Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Peden, William (1944). "Thomas Jefferson and Charles Brockden Brown." Maryland Quarterly 1 (Spring 1944), 65-68.
Smith, Elihu Hubbard (1973). Diary of Elihu Hubbard Smith, ed. James E. Cronin. Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society.
Warfel, Harry (1949). Charles Brockden Brown: American Gothic Novelist. Gainesville: University of Florida Press.
B. Poems in Manuscript and Transcribed in various sources (i.e., poems not published separately).
Item number, title, date, ms or transcription location
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1786
1786-MP001. "On Some of His School Fellows." MS poem [1786]. Transcribed Elijah Brown. HSP; Brown Family Papers (Collection 84), ), volume 1, pages 8-11. A.
1787
1787-MP002. "Aretas." MS poem [1787]. Transcribed Elijah Brown. HSP; Brown Family Papers (Collection 84), vol. 30, page 30. A.
1787-MP003. "For the Grocer's Window." MS poem [1787]. Transcribed Elijah Brown. HSP; Brown Family Papers (Collection 84), volume 1, page 12. A.
1787-MP004. "The Rising Glory of America." MS poem [1787]. Transcribed Elijah Brown. HSP; Brown Family Papers (Collection 84), volume 30, pages 35-37. A.
1787-MP005. "The Times." MS poem [1787]. Transcribed Elijah Brown. HSP; Brown Family Papers (Collection 84), volume 30, pages 38-42. A.
1787-MP006. "The Grape and the Tobacco Plant." MS poem [1787]. Transcribed E. Brown. HSP; Brown Family Papers (Collection 84), volume 30, pages 9-10. A.
1788
1788-MP007. "Epistle the First." MS poem , 8 June 1788. Transcribed Elijah Brown. HSP; Brown Family Papers (Collection 84), volume 30, pages 33-37 & 29. See Holmes (1995). A.
1788-MP008. "In Praise of Schuylkill." MS poem [13 June 1788]. Transcribed Elijah Brown. HSP; Brown Family Papers (Collection 84), volume 4. A.
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1789
1789-MP009. "To Miss D.P." MS poem [1789]. Transcribed Elijah Brown. HSP; Brown Family Papers (Collection 84), volume 1, page 12. A.
1789-MP010. "To Estrina." MS poem [1789]. Transcribed Elijah Brown. HSP; Brown Family Papers (Collection 84), volume 1, pages 13-16. A.
1792
1792-MP011. "Crow and Goose Quill." MS poem. 20 March 1792 Letter to Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., Bowdoin College. A.
1792-MP012. "In Delphy Town." MS poem. 20 March 1792 Letter to Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., Bowdoin College. A.
1792-MP013. "Loo." ["A Peter-Pindarical Performance"]. MS poem. 9 May 1792 Letter to Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., Bowdoin College. A.
1792-MP014. "Post-Script." MS poem. 15 May 1792 Letter to Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., Bowdoin College [on envelope side of Letter 1792-L-013 to Bringhurst]. A.
1792-MP015. "Sweet Little Thing." MS poem, December 1792 Letter to Joseph Bringhurst, Jr., Bowdoin College. A.
1792-MP016. "When Bringhurst and Wilkins are Here." MS poem, undated letter to William W. Wilkins, sold by Rendell's, 1990, whereabouts unknown. [at end of Letter 1792-L 014 to Wilkins]. A.
1794
1794-MP018. "To D.P." poem inscribed in fly-leaf of Samuel Johnson, Rasselas (London, 1790), now at Bowdoin College [1794]. A.
1794-MP018b. "Devotion (To [Debby Ferris])." Earliest version of poem later published as "Devotion," enclosed with letter to Deborah Ferris of 4 October 1794.
[revised as 1808-02567 "Devotion: An Epistle. To Calista"]1798
1798-MP019. "To Stella" ["Come forth, my soul"]. New York, September 20, 1798. Transcribed and attributed in Kennedy: origin unknown. A.
1798-MP020. "'Tis Poverty that Destroys the State" [Wieland notebook fragment]. HSP; Brown Family Papers (Collection 84), vol. 24. A.
1798-MP021. "From Virtue's blissful paths away" [Epigraph in 1798-09000 Wieland; or the Transformation]. A.
-
1799
1799-MP022 "Sleep, extend thy downy pinion" [Helena's Song in 1799-01000, Ormond; or The Secret Witness, Ch. 16]. A.
1799-MP023 "The breeze awakes" [Constantia's Song, in 1799-01000, Ormond; or The Secret Witness, Ch. 19]. A.
1799-MP024 "Ah! far beyond this world" [Sophia's song, in 1799-01000, Ormond; or The Secret Witness, Ch. 22]. A.
1800
1800-MP025. Jessy's Song. Poem from the Jessica fragment published in Dunlap (1815), I:168 [1800]. A.
1801
1801-MP026. "Pleasures of the Table." MS poem. Dated "Phila 2 mo. [February] 1801." HSP; Wieland Notebook (Brown Family Papers [Collection 84], notebook 24), page 33. B.
1801-MP027. "Long Strove a Rueful Fate." MS poem in Letter 1801-L-135 to Elizabeth Linn. A.
1801-MP028. "Inchanting Tongue!" MS poem in Letter 1801-L-138 to Eliz. Linn. A.
1801-MP029. "To Clara (On the Death of a Friend)." Poem transcribed in Dunlap (1815) II, 120-122. A.
1801-MP030. "They Came at Noon" [July 13, 1801]. Poem transcribed in Thomas Pym Cope's Diary (Cope 1978), 72-73. A.
1806
1806-MP031. "Marriage." MS poem, in Letter 1806-L-174 to John Elihu Hall, 21 November 1806. A.
C. Miscellaneous Prose writings in Manuscript
-
1783
1783-MM001 "Sample of Liberty to Conscience" (aka "Hume Fragment"). 1 page of notes on ` Hume's History. MS UVA. A. [added 4/2007, phb]
1790
1790-MM002 Henrietta Letters. MS Texas. 68 pages. Epistolary fiction in 17 parts. A. [added 4/2007, phb]
1793-1796 [Ellendale fragments]
[The dating of these fictional fragments is provisional, but falls within 1793-96 limits. Bennett (1974, 163-174) proposes a timeline for their composition, but more work will be necessary to confirm it. The "Ellendale" ensemble also includes "Harry Wallace" and "Signior Adini" fragments published in Dunlap (1815)]
1793-MM003 Ellendale Letters (c1793-96), MS Texas. Two fictional letters, dated 29 and 31 August, 1793, concerning the Ellen family and their home Ellendale. Red stains and architectural drawings relate these letters to item 1793-4. A. [added 4/2007, phb]
1793-MM004 Medwaye fragment (c1793-96). MS HSP. Dreer Collection, American Prose Writers. Recto and verso of one manuscript page. Reproduced photographically in Allen (1811 [1976]), xlviii-xlix. Prose fragment concerning Mr. Ellen and the character Med waye. A. [added 4/2007, phb]
1793-MM005 Letter to Susan Godolphin (c1793-96). MS Texas. Fictional letter, dated 2-3 July 1793, concerning utopian communities in Australia, the relation of poetry and history, etc. [added 4/2007 phb]
1793-MM006 "Architectural drawings and notes" (c1793-96). MS Texas. 39 pages of manuscript architectural drawings (quasi-Palladian elevations, floor plans, and embellishments) with notes and mathematical calculations seemingly related to plans for historical fictions. Same red stains as 1793-1 "Ellendale Letters." A. [added 4/2007, phb]
-
1796-1797
1796-MM007 Alloan fragment no. 1 (c1796-97). MS HSP, Brown Family Papers (Collection 84), volume 25. Two pages of notes for a pseudo-historical fiction concerning the Alloans, a Greek people, and their occupation of China, Tartar-Alloan wars, etc. [added 4/2007, phb]
1796-MM008 Alloan fragment no. 2 (c1796-97). MS Texas. Fictional fragment concerning Al loan occupation of Japan and its effects on Shintoism. With diagrams and mathematical cal culations. [added 4/2007, phb]
1798
1798-MM009 Notes for Wieland and other fictions. In notebook 24 Brown Family Papers, HSP . Photographically reproduced and transcribed in Bicentennial edition of Wieland, 420-441. [added 4/2007, phb]
1800
1800-MM010 Jessy Fragment. In Brown Family Papers, notebook 12, HSP. 2 pages of plot points and 25 more of calculations for a plot concerning Jessy (Jessika) in Europe with Harriet Finch and her father, with mathematical calculations. Plot points and calculations of Jessy's inheritance bring the narrative to 1800. See discussion in Bennett (1980). [added 4/27, phb]
1801
1801-MM011"Fragment of a Journal, AMS, dated 1801 March 9-10" (6349 #21; Virginia). 1 page of a journal; with mathematical calculations, remarks on Jefferson's inaugural address (following the header "Mr. Poulson") and six stanzas of a poem.