The Power of Sympathy

William Hill Brown (1765-1793) was an American poet, dramatist and novelist who anonymously published "The Power of Sympathy", considered to be the first American novel. While living in Boston, Brown lived directly across the street from a famous Boston family, the Anthorp-Mortons, who became the center of a local scandal in 1788. Frances Anthorp committed suicide after she was discovered to be having an affair with her brother-in-law, Perez Morton. "The Power of Sympathy", based on this infamous Boston scandal, follows a sentimental writing style developed by Samuel Richardson. This epistolary novel about tragic, incestuous love began a flood of other sentimental novels from its popularity. Because it has the distinction of being the first book-length work written and issued in America, the novel has received critical attention since its publication.