4. Again, it may be said that Joseph Smith was evidently a swindler, because most of the "Book of Mormon" was copied from the manuscript of one Solomon Spaulding, a Presbyterian clergyman of Western Pennsylvania. Between 1809 and 1813 he lived in Northeastern Ohio, and, being fond of the study of archæology, he became intensely interested in the ancient mounds and fortifications which abound in that region, and he himself opened up one near his own dwelling. Since these mounds gave unmistakable evidences of the existence of an extinct race higher in the scale of civilization than the present American Indians, he adopted the theory that this Continent was peopled by a colony of ancient Israelites, and in a time of infirm health he wrote an historical romance embodying that theory. The style of the book was a clumsy imitation of our English Bible, and the book originally bore the title of "THE MANUSCRIPT FOUND," the idea at the root of the book being that Mr. Spaulding discovered among other prehistoric mementoes in one of the earth-mounds near his house an ancient manuscript which gave an account of the wanderings and sufferings of the Israelites after coming to America, and he merely translated the story as contained in _the manuscript that was found_. He tried to have it published and took it to a printing-office in Pittsburg, where it remained for some time. It is said that in his book there was much repetition of phrases common in Scripture, such as, "And it came to pass," and also that he used the names Lehi, Nephi, Moroni, Lamanites, etc., which names are all found in the "Book of Mormon." It is supposed that this manuscript in some way unknown fell into the hands of Smith, and that he and his confederates introduced into it the religious part of the "Book of Mormon" touching the establishment of another church. But, on the other hand, it may be said that that has ever been strenuously denied by the Mormons, and _has never yet been proved_. The editor of the _Independent_ says, in the issue of January 7th, 1886, that Mrs. Spaulding herself was in total ignorance concerning the fate of "The Manuscript Found." During the year 1834, when the events must have been comparatively well fixed in her memory, "she _thinks_ it was once taken to the printing-office of Patterson & Lambdin [in Pittsburg]; but whether it was ever brought back to the house again she is quite uncertain." The fact is, that from the time it went into the hands of the printer its history is lost. It is true that it _might_ have fallen into the hands of Smith or his confederates, but it is just as likely that it did not. All that we have learned of its contents has been obtained from the memory of persons who had read it or heard it read fifty or more years ago, none of whom are now living. The manuscript itself is not known to have been seen since it was given to the printer. Whether it was destroyed, or is still in existence, no one knows positively.