inculcated on him from his infancy,
was founded in the belief of divine inspiration. The fumes of the
most disordered imaginations were recorded in their religious code,
as special communications of the Deity; and as it could not but happen
that, in the course of ages events would now and then turn up to which
some of these vague rhapsodies might be accommodated by the aid of
allegories, figures, types, and other tricks upon words, they have not
only preserved their credit with the Jews of all subsequent times,
but are the foundation of much of the religions of those who have
schismatized from them. Elevated by the enthusiasm of a warm and pure
heart, conscious of the high strains of an eloquence which had not been
taught him, he might readily mistake the coruscations of his own fine
genius for inspirations of an higher order. This belief, carried,
therefore, no more personal imputation, than the belief of Socrates,
that himself was under the care and admonitions of a guardian Daemon.
And how many of our wisest men still believe in the reality of these
inspirations, while perfectly sane on all other subjects. Excusing,
therefore, on these considerations, those passages in the gospels which
seem to bear marks of weakness in Jesus, ascribing to him what alone is
consistent with the great and pure character of which the same writings
furnish proofs, and to their proper authors their own trivialities
and imbecilities, I think myself authorized to conclude the purity and
distinction of his character, in opposition to the impostures which
those authors would fix upon him; and that the postulate of my former
letter is no more than is granted in all other historical works.

Mr. Correa is here, on his farewell visit to us. He has been much
pleased with the plan and progress of our University, and has given some
valuable hints to its botanical branch. He goes to do, I hope, much good
in his new country; the public instruction there, as I understand,
being within the department destined for him. He is not without
dissatisfaction, and reasonable dissatisfaction, too, with the piracies
of Baltimore; but his justice and friendly dispositions will, I am sure,
distinguish between the iniquities of a few plunderers, and the sound
principles of our country at large, and of our government especially.
From many conversations with him, I hope he sees, and will promote, in
his new situation, the advantages of a cordial fraternization among
a