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BODLEIAL

LIBRARY

LONDON:

PRINTED BY C. F. HODGSON,

GOUGH SQUARE, FLEET STREET.

PREFACE.

WE should be ungrateful to many friends, and wanting both in gratitude and in reverence to Him who alone commands success, were we not to acknowledge the encouragement we have met with during the last year.

It has been a year of severe trial in several respects. Commercial depression has existed to a great extent; not so much, we believe, from the actual falling away of trade and commerce, as from the apprehension of approaching evils. Yet it has been sufficient to produce a spirit of caution, and to put a restraint upon enterprise, of which publishers and booksellers have been naturally amongst the first to complain. We have every reason to be grateful that our own circulation has not been affected by it. We believe that, without vanity, we may assign this to the Scriptural truth and general ability which have been characteristic of our pages. The Christian Observer is not the reflexion of one mind, but of many; and amongst its contributors are some whose names are well known in the higher walks of literature, of science, and of the secular as well as of the clerical professions. Its unanimity is that of many friends combined in one grand object, the promotion of true religion, and, as a means thereto, of the interests of our national church. On looking over the contributions to one of our last numbers, we found that it contained articles from twelve different writers. The late Archbishop of Canterbury was pleased sometimes to make our pages the vehicle of placing his thoughts before the public, as did other great and good men who have passed away. Of our living contributors we may not speak, except to thank them cordially, one and all, for their assistance.

Turning to graver matters, the year has been fruitful of exciting,

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