In the late 17th century, Scotland is torn by religious and political strife. Hogg's sinner, justified by his Calvinist conviction that his own salvation is pre-ordained, is suspected of involvement in a series of bizarre and hideous crimes. A century later his memoirs reveal the extraordinary, macabre truth. The tale is chilling for its astute psychological accuracy as it illustrates, with power and economy, the dire effect of self-righteous bigotry on a fanatical character.

THE POETIC TALENT ofJames Hogg was first recognised by Sir Walter Scott and admiring contemporaries came to refer to him as "The Ettrick Shepherd" for his occupation in the forest of that name on the Scottish Borders. Hogg had virtually no formal education and his work reflects oral traditions, both his verse and prose consisting of stories based on adapted ballads, legends and folklore. His most ambitious prose work,The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Fustified Sinner was published in 1824, and is now widely acclaimed as his masterpiece.

The celebrated French author, Andre Gide, was lent a copy of the book in 1924 and was stunned by it. He wrote an enthusiastic introduction to The Cresset Library edition of the work that same year,extolling its psychological accuracy likening it in this respect to Henry James" The Turn of the Screw, in its subject matter to Browning"s poem,Fobannes Agricola in Meditation, and in aspects of its form to Browning"s The Ring and The Book. Gide quotes his own transhtor, Dorothy Bussy, who stressed the essentially Scottish nature of the book and of the fanatical Puritanism depicted. The novel shares the atmosphere and curious horror of Bums" Holy Willie"s Prayer, and looks forward to Stevenson"sDr Jekyll and Mr Hyde which seems to have been influenced by it.

Many have noted that Hogg, in the treatment of his material, was well in advance of his time. His story concerns a young man, Robert Wringhim, son of a strife-torn marriage, brought up in extreme Calvinist bigotry. He is instilled with the fatal belief that he is one of"the community of the just upon earth", who cannot sin, his salvation being pre-ordained. Robert"s every natural inclination is thus sanctified and encouraged. This doctrine apparendy derives from the controversial teachings of Johannes Agricola who founded a sect in the sixteenth century, called the "Antinomians".

  The novel is constructed of two parts with the first section couched as an editor"s objective narrative. Here a finely wrought atmosphere of mystery and suspense creates mounting tension as unsolved crimes are described and suspicions aroused. The second part of the book which purports to be W~inghim"s own memoir, found in his grave some hundred years after his death, shows his very gradual movement from the self-righteous conviction that all he does is God"s work to the belief that he is under the influence of a malign stranger whom he ultimately recognises as the devil. Supernatural force is one explanation, but though Hogg"s dramatic ending may pander to the Gothic tastes of his time, the essence of his story is also plausible on another level. Hogg"s presentation of the evil spirit that possesses his hero is subtle and open to many interpretations. It is easy to perceive this devil as an alter-ego,playing only on the sinner"s own darkest unconscious desires, and the instability of his character. The carefully laid background to this carries conviction with psychological realism that is worthy of any twentiethcentury novel of the genre.  The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Fustified Sinner is written with power, economy and a grim humour that makes compelling reading.As Gide claims, the book is "an extraordinary achievement". It is both significant and impressive as a precursor of the psychological thriller which reflects the author"s profound understanding of the nature of fanaticism and the limidess extent of human perversity.