Excerpt from Evert Augustus Duyckinck, His Life, Writings and Influence: A Memoir New York was then in a transition state and just entering upon the new cosmopolitan erauwhich was in some respects a matter of disappointment as well as of pride to men who were, like Duyckinck, born in the old provincial New York which ended with the completion of the Erie Canal and the virtual annexation of the great West in 1885, and who had grown up in what may be called the middle age of New York, from 1826 to 1850, during which the city had become the business metropolis of the country. The third stage of growth was a little too fast and too far for the comfort of many of the old residents, and when, in 1850, the Knickerbocker city, proud of her Croton water, her great daily papers, and her extending railways, established her own line of steamers to Europe, and started her own fleets to the Golden Gate of California, the fear was expressed that the new city was outgrowing her history and its landmarks, and falling into the hands of a new multitude, most of whose half million of people knew little and cared less for the old fathers of Manhattan. Mr. Duyckinck had much of the old fashioned sentiment, yet he kept up with the new progress, and at heart he was quite modern in his love of liberality in literature and politics as well as in religion. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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One of the earliest American novels, Wieland (1798) is a thrilling tale of suspense and intrigue set in rural Pennyslvania in the 1760s. Based on an actual case of a New York farmer who murdered his family, the novel employs Gothic devices and sensational elements such as spontaneous combustion, ventriloquism, and religious fanaticism. The plot turns on the charming but diabolical intruder Carwin, who exercises his power over the narrator, Clara Wieland, and her family, destroying the order and authority of the small community in which they live. Underlying the mystery and horror, however, is a profound examination of the human mind's capacity for rational judgement. The text also explores some of the most important issues vital to the survival of democracy in the new American republic. Brown further considers power and manipulation in his unfinished sequel, Memoirs of Carwin the Biloquist, which traces Carwin's career as a disciple of the utopist Ludloe. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.