ranked the principal subject of the following pages, will be left for the reader to determine after their perusal.

ROBERT MATTHEWS-for that is the real name of the subject of this history-is a native of Washington county, in the State of New-York, and of Scotch extraction. He is about forty-five years of age, and of respectable parentage, though a mental eccentricity has characterized several members of the family. He was left an orphan at a tender age, and was brought up in the family of a respectable farmer in the town of Cambridge, in the county already mentioned, belonging to the church of the Anti-burgher branch of Seceders. It is related of him, that when the clergyman visited the family on a certain occasion, to catechise the children, he became much pleased with Matthews, then about seven years of age. As the good man departed, he laid his hand on the head of Robert, and gave him his blessing. From that moment the lad said he always expected to become a distinguished personage.

At the age of about twenty years, Matthews came to the city of New-York, and worked at the business of a carpenter and house-joiner, which he had partially learned in the country, and in which occupation he became a first-rate workman. He had always a fine mechanical genius, as had also two of his brothers, at least; one of whom resided in Rochester a few years since, where he died; and the other, who, self-instructed, had become a por

trait painter of some excellence, also died within a few years, in the western part of New-York, insane.

From the excellence of his work, he had full employment in those branches requiring the greatest skill. The consequence was, that in the course of a few years he accumulated money enough to enable him to return to Cambridge, and commence business as a country merchant. He was considered a very respectable man, made a profession of religion in connection with the Scotch Presbyterian church, and continued for some years without doing any thing to excite suspicion as to the soundness of his head or heart. He was considered, indeed, as ranking rather above the average cast of men in his neighbourhood; and although naturally somewhat vain of his own parts, and not a little elated by his success, and the good opinions entertained of him, yet his conduct was unexceptionable, and he courted and enjoyed the society of those who were above the sphere in which he had recently moved. If extravagant in his habits at this time, it was only in the article of dress, of which he was always vain.

He was married in the year 1813, in the city of New-York (while on a visit for the purchase of goods), to a young lady, the daughter of a respectable Scotch mechanic, who had formerly resided in Washington county, where his daughter was born. Returning to Cambridge, he continued business as a merchant three or four years longer, and was still considered a very respectable man, maintaining

his standing in the church as a regular worshipper and a consistent Christian. About a year after the close of the war, say in 1816, he commenced building a large edifice for a store, but became unfortunate in his pecuniary affairs, and failed before its completion-involving in his ruin an aged and honest mechanic, who, by industry and frugality, had secured a competency for his family. Some hard things were said of Matthews in relation to these transactions; but, perhaps, without any greater or more aggravated cause than is to be found in most cases of similar misfortune.

Being thus broken up in his mercantile business, he returned to New-York with his family, and resumed his former handicraft as a house-joiner. He remained in the city four or five years, but was not satisfied with such employment, and resolved once more to try his fortunes in his native county; for which purpose he removed to the town of Argyle, where he followed the occupation of a millwright. Not succeeding to his wishes, however, he removed to Albany in 1827 or '28, and resumed the joiner's business as a journeyman, taking good care of his family, and attending constantly upon the public services in the sanctuary-attaching himself to the congregation of the Dutch Reformed Church, then under the pastoral care of the Rev. Dr. Ludlow. The reason of his leaving the Scotch Church, to which he had previously belonged, was understood to be some personal difficulty with his minister in Washington county, resulting in a settled dislike to that denomination. He very soon ap

peared to take an increasing interest in religious matters; attended church and social prayer meetings, and conversed frequently upon the subject. Some time subsequent to this period, the late Dr. Chester being absent for his health, notice was given that a young clergyman from New-York, the Rev. Mr. Kirk, was to occupy the pulpit on a certain evening. Matthews went to hear him, and on his return home appeared to be in a state of great excitement, declaring that he had never heard any thing like preaching before, and sat up the greater part of the night repeating, expounding, and commending passages from the sermon. His enthusiasm was so great that Mrs. Matthews remarked to her daughter in the course of the night, "If your father goes to hear this man preach any more, he will go wild or crazy." He did go again to hear him a number of times-was always exceedingly pleased, and became more and more excited. Still he behaved rationally enough until one evening when he went to hear Mr. Finney. The services were continued until a late hour, and Matthews came home in a state bordering upon phrensy.

It was not long before a church was formed for Mr. Kirk in Albany, to which Matthews made application for admission; stating that he was already a member of a church in Washington county. Inquiries were made into his character by the session; but on sending to Cambridge, a letter, or certificate, from the church to which he had formerly belonged was withheld. At that time, as the writer is informed by a gentleman who was then an officer of that

church, he exhibited no symptoms of eccentricity, or of a disorganized mind.

At about the same time, Matthews engaged actively in the temperance reform, in which he laboured with all his might; but he was ultra in his notions, -contending that the use of meats should be excluded, as well as of strong drinks.

A brother of Mrs. Matthews, now a respectable tradesman in New-York, who had resided some years with his sister soon after her marriage, made him a visit just at this crisis. He was kindly received by Matthews, and observed no alteration in his manners, except that he soon introduced religion as a subject of conversation, which was contrary to his former habits; for although, as we have seen, a professor of religion, yet he had never in former years shown himself forward or ostentatious in these matters, but was, on the contrary, rather reserved. He now inquired of his brother-in-law whether he yet remained in connection with the Scotch church, and being answered in the affirmative, replied, “ Why, I wonder at that you are all wrong: I used to think that church was right, too; but I find that although I have been a professor these twenty years, I never had any religion until now-never until I heard the preaching of Mr. Kirk and Mr. Finney."

As he continued his religious conversation, he gradually became excited, and in the end somewhat vehement, especially on the subject of temperance -strenuously maintaining that intemperance was the great evil at the root of the matter, and that the world could all be converted, if men would only live