Amid many episodes and interludes of fancy and narrative, it will be found that the volume arrays its force of argument against two of the assumptions alike of modern and of ancient scepticism; namely, that a revelation from God to men through the agency of a book is an unreasonable tenet of belief; and that it is impossible that a miracle should occur, and impossible that its occurrence should be authenticated. There is a vigorous and logical power displayed in the discussion of these two points. The discomfiture of those who urge these assumptions does not of course convince all scepticism, or substitute faith for it, but it is something to discomfit such pleas, and to expose the fallacies which confuse the minds of their advocates. The matters of debate are lofty, and there is no levity in their treatment. ADVERTISEMENT. He who reads this book only superficially will at once see that it is not all fiction; and he who reads it more than superficially will as easily see that it is not all fact. In what proportions it is composed of either would probably require a very acute critic accurately to determine. As the Editor makes no pretensions to such acumen,--as he can lay claim to only an imperfect knowledge of the principal personage in the volume, and never had any personal acquaintance with the singular youth, some traits of whose character and some glimpses of whose history are here given, --he leaves the above question to the decision of the reader. At the same time, it is of no consequence in the world. The character and purport of the volume are sufficiently disclosed in the parting words of the Journalist. "It aspires," as is justly said, "to none of the appropriate interest either of a novel or a biography." It might have been very properly entitled "Theological Fragments." March 31, 1852. INTRODUCTION A GENUINE SCEPTIC A VERSATILE BELIEVER PURITAN INFIDELITY LORD HERBERT AND MODERN DEISM SOME CURIOUS PARADOXES PROBLEMS A DIALOGUE SHOWING THAT "THAT MAY BE POSSIBLE WITH MAN WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD" SCEPTIC'S FAVORITE TOPICS UNSTABLE EQUILIBRIUM A SCEPTICS FIRST CATECHISM SOME LIGHT ON THE MYSTERY BELIEF AND FAITH THE "VIA MEDIA" OF DEISM A SCEPTIC'S SELECT PARTY HOW IT WAS THAT INFIDELITY PREVENTED MY BECOMING AN INFIDEL SKIRMISHES CHRISTIAN ETHICS THE BLANK BIBLE A DIALOGUE IN WHICH IT IS CONTENDED "THAT MIRACLES ARE IMPOSSIBLE, BUT THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PROVE IT" THE ANALOGIES OF AN EXTERNAL REVELATION WITH THE LAWS AND CONDITIONS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT ON A PREVAILING FALLACY HISTORIC CREDIBILITY A KNOTTY POINT MEDICAL ANALOGIES HISTORIC CRITICISM THE "PAPAL AGGRESSION" PROVED TO BE IMPOSSIBLE THE PARADISE OF FOOLS A FUTURE LIFE A VARIABLE QUANTITY DISCUSSION OF THREE POINTS THE LAST EVENING THE ECLIPSE OF FAITH. To E. B*****, Missionary in ------, South Pacific. Wednesday, June 18, 1851. My Dear Edward:--