Arthur Mervyn, a novel written by Charles Brockden Brown, was published in 1799. One of Brown's more popular novels and representative of Brown's dark, gothic style and subject matter, Arthur Mervyn is also recognized as one of the most influential works of American and Philadelphia Gothic literature. It started earlier as a serial in Philadelphia's Weekly Magazine of Original Essays, Fugitive Pieces, and Interesting Intelligence, but it was discontinued because the magazine's writers were not keen on the feature and the editor of the magazine died from yellow fever. Hence, Brown decided to issue the book himself. The novel also includes the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia between August–October 1793 as an important plot element. Plot summary Dr Stevens meets Arthur Mervyn, who has yellow fever, and invites Mervyn to stay with him until he recovers. One Mervyn is better, Dr Stevens's friend Mr Wortley recognises Mervyn and reacts with displeasure. Mervyn begins to recount his history in an effort to clear his name in the eyes of Dr. Stevens. This takes up most of the book. Mervyn was brought up on a farm in Philadelphia. His father married again and Mervyn did not get on with his stepmother, so left for the city. He loses his money on the way and starts begging in the city. He is locked in a dark room by someone he meets, Wallace, but escapes. He then meets Welbeck, a thief and a forger, who wants Mervyn to work for him, but Mervyn escapes and is helped by Susan Hadwin. In return, he helps Wallace whom he had met earlier and who is Susan's fiancé and has yellow fever. As a result, Mervyn is infected. This takes the story to the point where Mervyn is rescued by Dr Stevens. After he gets better, Mervyn insists on returning to Susan Hadwin's farm to make sure everyone is safe. He doesn't return for weeks. Eventually he summons Dr Stevens to the debtors' prison to tend to Welbeck, wh is ill there. Before Welbeck dies, he gives Mervyn about 40,000 pounds. Following this, Mervyn tells Dr Stevens what happened at the Hadwin farm. On getting there, he discovered that almost everyone except Eliza and Susan have died of yellow fever. Susan dies the same day. Mervyn tries to house Eliza at a neighbor's farm, but the neighbor refuses. They almost die in freezing weather but are saved