ART. X.-FANATICAL GUIDES.

1.-The Christian Guide to a right understanding of the Sacred Scriptures; designed as a select commentary on the four Evangelists, harmonized and chronologically arranged, in a New Translation, on the basis of Wakefield's Version. To which are prefixed, a brief Memoir of the Author, and a copious Introduction to the New Testament. By JOHN SAMUEL THOMPSON, Minister of the First Universalist Society, Utica, New-York. Utica.

2.-A Narrative of Religious Experience. In Twelve Letters. By HARRIET LIVERMORE. Vol. 1st. Concord.

Or the various modes of studying human nature, few, perhaps, are better adapted to assist us in arriving at just conclusions, than the perusal of auto-biography. The motives to action, and the minute shades of character, are generally more clearly discernible in narratives of this class, than in those works in which the biographer and the subject are different parties; just as a countenance appears more distinct, than its reflection in a mirror. Too often do biographers give nothing but conjecture, when the auto-biographer would supply facts; and, in attempting to explain conduct, they are more often misled than he is, or, at the least, than he is likely to mislead a scrutinizing reader. To illustrate these remarks, it may be expedient to refer to two or three biographical works. In the life of Cardinal Wolsey, published by "the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge," we find the following passages.-There were, among his pupils, three sons of Grey, Marquis of Dorset. To these young noblemen, Wolsey proved an able and assiduous instructer. Perhaps the opportunity thus afforded to him, of viewing, in the ingenuous soul of youth, the secret springs of action, and the varieties of undisguised passion, may have been the first source of that intimate knowledge of character which was ascribed subsequently to necromancy, by his enemies, from the influence which he gained over the king."—"The incident which procured these distinctions, was, probably, regarded by Wolsey as extremely conducive to his advancement; for, long after it had occurred, when the vicissitudes of his life caused him, perhaps, to dwell with a pleasurable regret upon earlier and happier days," &c." He sported, he jested, he sang, he even danced; forgetting, or perhaps holding in lower account, the decorum proper to his sacred habit.""It is likely that he perceived the folly and inutility of the scheme, which plunged a secure and prosperous nation into unnecessary difficulty and expense. Whatever may have been his secret opinions, he

possessed not, in all probability, at this time, sufficient influence to change the course of events; and, it is to be feared, that he was not disinterested enough to desire it.". "He felt, doubtless, the importance of remaining in constant personal communication with the king."—"This sudden elevation to the second dignity in the Anglican church, Wolsey owed, no doubt, in part, to one of those accidents which occur in the life of every prosperous individual."-"By a costly exterior, Wolsey, perhaps, thought to obliterate the remembrance of his obscure origin.". "Unsuitable were such amusements to the situation of Wolsey; and, perhaps, they contributed in reality but little to the influence which he long held over the mind of his sovereign."The part which Wolsey took in this affair was conciliatory, and it may have been disinterested." In this manner, all through the Life, is conjecture substituted for fact, by which means the reader is bewildered rather than skilfully guided.

Hayley's Life of Cowper has been the means of misleading the public generally, respecting the character of that amiable man, and truly Christian poet. The impression it has produced is, that Cowper's mental malady sprung from his mistaken notions of religion. Thus, in the Edinburgh Encyclopædia, it is stated, that his distemper was religious madness," and that his friends, the Unwins, "certainly contributed to deepen the shade of that religious melancholy, which had sprung up in his mind since his recovery." Now, that these statements are erroneous, may be immediately known by a reference to a passage or two of that painfully interesting Memoir of his early life, written by Cowper himself, and which, more than most other pieces of auto-biography, evinces the value of that variety of narration, and of its superiority to biography by another hand.

So far is the account from warranting the statement of the Edinburgh Encyclopædia, that it represents that his mania preceded his religious turn of mind; that the first alleviation he experienced arose from Herbert's poems-a devotional volume;and that his restoration to sanity was, in his judgment, graciously granted by God in answer to prayer.

Excellently, however, as we deem auto-biography adapted to illustrate character, we shall not deny that it has often been employed, and in some instances too successfully, to conceal defects, and to mislead the judgment respecting the motives of conduct. Yet, even in these respects, we think it has not been so mischievous and deceptive, as have been, in numberless cases, the eulogistic accounts of eminent men by their admirers; or, though less frequently, the vituperative ones by antagonists. The disguise assumed by persons themselves, is generally more easily removed, or more quickly penetrated, than one spread

over them by others, because they are less aware of any imperfections it may contain. Can it be doubted, for instance, that Gibbon would have suppressed much of what he has related of himself, could he have foreseen, that instead of homage being rendered to his talents, or to his application of them, the feeling excited would be contempt for his vanity? or that Hume would have omitted the formal delineation of his own character, had he reflected, that, when a person represents himself as faultless, he is less likely to obtain credence, than when he is so candid as to acknowledge, and fairly exhibit some of his errors and defects? A picture, to be admired, must have some shade for relief: what is all glare and glitter may momentarily dazzle the eye, but cannot permanently please.

These remarks will not, we trust, be found misapplied as introductory to a notice of the works at the head of our article. To neither of them do we attach value, but as specimens of variety of character; but in this view, one of them, perhaps both, will be found susceptible of interest. When religious works afford materials for philosophical investigation, they are not unworthy of an article in a literary journal; since the votaries of literature should not restrain themselves from taking a general survey of the opinions and doctrines which influence national character. Like those substances which absorb all the prismatic rays, they should draw instruction from every kind of book.

The Christian Guide, being a commentary on the Gospels, the author has thought fit to offer an apology for its publication; which apology, as it appears to manifest his motives for prefixing his auto-biography, we here insert.

"When men had fallen from the instructions derived from the Creator, through the traditions of the aborigines of this world, and the light of nature, diffused in the phenomena of Creation and Providence, Heaven interposed by giving a new revelation. When the spirit and influence of that dispensation began to decline, God sent forth his own Son, to re-illumine the world by a still more glorious light in the Gospel; and after the brilliancy of that most perfect luminary became obscured by the corruptions of the Romish Church, and the introduction of Pagan notions, it pleased the Father of lights to raise up men of bold and venturous minds, who succeeded in different degrees, to check the inroads of idolatry and superstition, and rouse the slumbering mind to inquire what Christianity was, and ought to be. So of late it hath pleased the same bountiful donor of every good and perfect gift, to manifest to some of his intelligent offspring, more especially in this free and inquiring country, the grand deception that has darkened for many ages the brightest part of that revelation, bestowed on mankind through Jesus Christ our Lord. Having learned that man shall live always, the next most important inquiry is, shall he live happily? The consoling reply, he shall be happy while immortality endures, is that which this work is intended to demonstrate. If this grand desideratum can be effected, I shall rejoice in having been the happy instrument, in the hand of God, of having done fourfold as much for mankind, as all the professed commentators of the last fifteen centuries!" pp. 5, 6.

From this modest apology we learn, that Mr. Thompson considers himself, or would have his readers consider him, as a man

specially endowed by Heaven to illuminate the human family; and to enable them to judge of this, was, we presume, his motive for publishing his "brief Memoir," of seventy closely printed octavo pages! As we admire candour, we thank Mr. Thompson for thus furnishing us with materials to examine his pretensions. He is a native of Bally william, in the north of Ireland, and was born in 1787. At eleven years of age, he had not learnt the letters of the alphabet; a backwardness which he attributes to maternal fondness, though most persons would, we believe, be puzzled to account for its being proved in so singular a manner, as mothers are generally proud of the proficiency, and not of the ignorance of their children. In six weeks time, he could, he says, read easily; and at the expiration of six months, having learnt to write, and to understand something of arithmetic, his "English education was deemed complete. This account must lead to the supposition, that some other reason than the one assigned, influenced his parents. Not sent to school till eleven years old, and then continued there only six months: the probability is, that his parents were in straitened circumstances; and if so, he would have acted better if he had candidly stated the fact. To be born in poverty is no disgrace to any one, while to emerge from it by the honourable exercise of talent is laudable. Mr. Thompson might, accordingly, with great propriety, have imitated other auto-biographers, amongst whom we may mention Gifford, the late editor of the London Quarterly Review; Ferguson, the astronomer; and Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd;-all of whom have mentioned their obscure. origin and struggles with poverty. Others again, not exactly born in poverty, have recorded their menial labours in after life. Dr. Franklin says that he carried stationary, which he had bought, home in a wheelbarrow ;-and Lilly, the astrologer, informs us, that, notwithstanding his classical education, he became a domestic servant, and fetched water in tubs from the river to his master's house. Does not every one admire these persons the more, for having recorded these particulars? Yet many would prefer revealing their vices, rather than the circumstance of their being reduced to the level of the working class. How far Mr. Thompson may have let such a feeling operate, he is the best judge. All that we learn above conjecture is this; that after a "pernicious stagnation" of five years, he became a student of Greek and Latin, of Logic and the Mathematics; that nearly the whole expense of tuition was defrayed by his emoluments as a teacher of others; and that he offers his conduct as an example to indigent youth. More explicitness would have done him no discredit.

In 1808, he opened a school near Ballycastle; but in the following year he became a student in the University of Glasgow,

and entered the first philosophical class. Of that University, he entertains so high an opinion, that he ranks it in excellence above every other. In forming this judgment, he may have been influenced by his own success, as out of 170 students in the Logic class, there were only two, he says, who merited the name of rivals; while in Mathematics, he so far surpassed all the rest, that they gave him the appellation of Euclid. In 1811, he removed to the University of St. Andrew's, and attended lectures on moral philosophy, on chemistry, and on civil history. What effects were produced on his mind by the labours of the various professors of these sciences, he has omitted to mention; except that from the arguments of the professor of moral philosophy, in favour of free agency, he began to suspect that the doctrines of Calvin, in which he had been nurtured, were untenable. It may, however, be inferred, that he entertained more than suspicions of their verity, from his having maintained in a thesis the doctrine of materiality.

We have thus placed under one view the particulars of his education, in order that the reader may form an estimate of his qualifications for the ministry, as far as learning is conducive to it. His own opinion is, that without an acquaintance with civil, ecclesiastical, and natural history; with grammar and composition; with geography, astronomy, and mathematics; and with the Greek and Hebrew scriptures; "no man can ever rationally pretend to be above a mere novice in theology; and instead of being an advantage to the Christian ministry, he will only disgrace both himself and it." It seems curious, that if all these attainments are requisite, our Lord should have selected ignorant Gallilean fishermen as the promulgators of the Gospel. At any rate it must be conceded, that unless piety, humility, and charity supervene, the possessor of them will be, as a preacher, "like sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal." Accordingly, we shall now proceed to an examination of the pretensions of Mr. Thompson, that we may ascertain how far he is deserving of being accepted as a "Christian guide."

During the interval of his studies between school and college, he pondered on religious subjects so intently, that in 1802 he became a candidate for communion with the Secession Church. His feelings were wrought up to a high degree; for he says, that he expected as soon as he stretched out his hand to receive the emblems of a crucified Redeemer, the lightnings of heaven would play on his devoted head!" Yet, before the expiration of many months, he believed that he "received the impression of regenerating power," and was divinely called to the ministry. "Nor have I," says he, "in all my life, from the time the impression was first made, for a moment doubted of my appointment to that office, being as really determined in