Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-18

A USEFUL MANIAc-Cruden's Concordance
| of the Bible has maintained its preeminence as
the best work of its class for more than a cen
fury. The result of interchangeable and most
faithful labor it has left to imitators little oppor-
| tunity for correction, enlargement or improve
ment. Yet this great undertaking was accom-
| plished by man who spent many years IN mad
houses, and when not in confinement acted as if
! his sole object was to get into an asylum.
| Alexander Cruden was born at Aberdeen,
Scotland, in the year 1901. Virtuous and pious
| from boyhood, he naturally sought the minis
| terial profession, but abandoned the intention
on the completion of the preparatory. collegiate
course; it is believed, because, of a development
of alteration of mind. The disease was not
hereditary, and it is attributed by some TO dis
appointment in love. After beneficial resi-
dence at an asylum, he went TO London at the
age of about thirty years and pursued the double
employment of bookseller and proof reader.
In 1877 he published the first edition of his
Concordance. He had worked so hard on it for
years that his business appears to have suffered.
He consequently became bankrupt in 1889,
and soon after was decidedly insane. He was
sent to private asylum, aud, in accordance with
the barbarous practice of the day, chained TO a
bedstead. He contrived to escape, however, and
being very fierce against his imagined persecu-
tors, published a pamphlet, in which he violent
ly attacked the proprietor of the asylum. He
also instituted a legal prosecution against him
and the attendant physician. The defendants
were acquitted, whereupon MIR. Cruden pub
lished report of their trials, defeating it to
the king.
For fourteen years after he appeared fairly
rational, working as proof reader, but in 1853
was again put in confinement for a few weeks.
On his release, he issued what he called "pro-
poSals of reconciliation" to his sister, who had
been instrumental in having him locked up, the
satisfaction he desired being that the lady would
submit to fOrty-eight hours Imprisonment in
NpyVUnta and him the pf FOR mounds
He afterwards modified the conditions TO forty
eight hours in the tower and fifteen pounds pay
ment. As these offers were rejected, he brought
suit for ten thousand pounds damages against
his sister and three other persons, but they
were acquitted, and new trial refused him
He then published a whimsical account of his
troubles, entitled The Adventures of Alexander,
the Corrector, a name which he henceforIh APP
piled to himself.
He imagined that he was inspired to correct
the morals of the age, and visited Oxford and
other places to exhort the inhabitants to repent
of their evil ways. He applied successfully to
the king and his council to recognize him for
mally as corrector Of theipeope, and to confer
upon him the dignity of knighthood. He was
unsuccessful in both objects, and complained
that Earl Paulett was the only great man whom
he visited who did not treat him badly. In ex
PLANTATION of this fact he curiously enough said:
Being goutsh in the feet, he could not run
away from the corrector, as Others were apt to |
do"
The next project of poor Cruden was to get |
himself elected member of parliament. Being |
defeated, he bore the disappointment with resg- |
nation, saying that che had the hearts of the |
people, though their hands had been promised |
away"
Soon after we find him in love. The object of |
his suit was Miss Elizabeth Abney, a wealthy |
lady, daughter of Sir Thomas Abney, the bene- |
factor of DIR. Watts. Cruden made no scruples |
of telling Miss Abney that her fortune influ- |
enced his choice, though he only wanted to use |
her money for thei public good. She refused |
even to see him. and neglected to answer his in
Vulnerable letters and protests. He finally pub |
llShed some of them, and, deSpairing of pacific |
measures, sent her what he termed a declara- |
ton of war. He asserted that, being a very |
great man. he would shoot off great bullets |
from his camp; namely by earnest prayer to |
heaven, day and night, that her heart might be |
softened." Awaiting himself of her absence |
from the vicinity of London, he sent requests |
for prayer for her safety to the different city |
churches, and on her return thanksgivings for |
her deverance from the dangers of journeying. |
He so pestered her with letters and calls that |
her servants resorted to rather violent measures
to keep him away
Nearly all the time, In spite of its mania, Mr.. |
Cruden was working hard on the version of his |
Concordance, and as proof-reader to the Daily |
Advertiser, paper rendered famous by its pub |
llcatlon OF the letters Of Junius. About 1858 he |
seems to have become more settled in his mind, |
He was constant in labor, and unweaTied in |
acts of benevolence His actions were some
times whimsical, but were often generous and
beneficial. He was instrumental in saving an
ignorant forger from the gallows; prevented
disheartened man from committing suicide and
cheered him by assistance; took home and re-
claimed wretcNed street walker, who remained
his faithful servant until his death, and proved
herself sincere penitent; and distributed large
numbers OF tracts and catechisms. 1t related
that on a certain occasion being disguised with |
the conceit of young clergyman, he gave him |
very solemnly little volume called "The |
Mothers CateChism dedicated TO the Young |
and ignorant" He died very suddenly in the |
year ITO, being found dead, kneeling against a |
chair.
Cruden's insanity must have made him at
times very disagreeable acquaintance, but of
the goodness Of his intentions and the purity of
his life there was no doubt. The work by
which he is known has given him lasting fame,
and earned him the gratitude of all biblical
students. 1t is remarkable that a compilation
requiring so much exactness and such pro-
tracted toll should have been prepared by a
man who was seldom if ever perfectly sane
Cincinnati Gazette.