PREFACE.

By the good hand of our God upon us, we have been brought to the close of our first year-the completion of our second volume. Again we tender our grateful acknowledgments to the subscribers and supporters of the work; thankful that very little of censure, much of encouraging approval, has attended our humble labours so far. Many important topics, deserving of careful consideration, have presented themselves to our notice; and we hope to follow them up, during the ensuing months; relying, in the first place, on the divine guidance, and, subordinately, on the valuable co-operation of our correspondents. Some few friends have suggested the discontinuance of the pieces headed Politics,' but so decided is the majority of those who urge their continuance, that we shall make no alteration in that part of the work. The Chapters on Flowers' we are also induced to go on with, not having met with one dissentient voice respecting them: and in the general arrangement of the work, no particular alteration is meditated.

Anonymous correspondents having, from time to time, kindly proffered reviews, and frequently on

works that we have not seen, we deem it right to state that we consider the responsibility voluntarily incurred in our first, introductory, paper, to be incompatible with a relinquishment of the reviewing department into other hands; therefore we are obliged to decline such assistance.

We close our yearly labour, at a period of considerable excitement; and, certainly, a crisis of no small interest in the eyes of all who love their country. We do not insist on the necessity of our Christian ladies making themselves acquainted with the minutiae of these matters, which affect our well-being, as a nation; convinced that woman bests serves her country, when she devotes herself to that portion of its affairs comprized within the walls of her own habitation, and of the cottages where her active benevolence may lead her to be a frequent visitor. We would, however, earnestly press upon all our readers the imperative duty of joining their supplications to those of the Church in general, for a prosperous issue out of all the embarrassments of public changes: for divine guidance to our king, our senators, and all who exercise authority in church and state. We would have them lay to heart the increasing efforts of evil men, who, unfurling the banners of open and avowed infidelity, are innoculating the multitude with a wide-spreading infection, most deadly in its operation, both as concerns time and eternity. Let them watch, lest this plague come nigh their own dwellings; and the more they find iniquity abounding, the firmer be their resolve not to know a wicked person.

line of demarcation cannot be too strongly

drawn between those who serve God, and those who worship mammon: how much more so, when we are daily in peril of being brought into contact with men who openly blaspheme his holy name, denying his very existence, and labouring to draw all around them into the like condemnation with themselves.

We desire to take an affectionate, a grateful leave of our numerous and encouraging friends: requesting the continued aid of their prayers; and inviting their candid remarks. May we have grace given us, that, in striving to please our neighbours to edification, we may still do all things to the glory of God, and to the honour of his great name.

December, 1834.