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REV. E. I. BURROW, D.D. F.R.S. & F.L.S.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR C. J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD,

AND WATERLOO-PLACE, PALL-MALL.

MDCCCXXX.

LONDON:

GILBERT AND, RIVINGTON, PRINTERS,

ST. JOHN'S SQUARE.

ADVERTISEMENT

BY

THE TRANSLATOR.

THE great popularity which has for some years. attended a work, translated from the German, and entitled " Reflections on the Works of God *," &c. is a sufficient proof, that although the class of books to which it belongs be in this country less abundant, perhaps, than any other, the public mind is by no means indisposed to such contemplations as it is calculated to promote. Having this evidence before him, and being impressed with a deep conviction of the value of all sound and judicious aids to devotional reflection, the translator of the following sheets feels persuaded that

* "Betrachtungen iiber die Werke Gottes im Reiche der Natur und der Vorsehung, auf alle Tage des Jahres," by C. C. Sturm.

he performs an acceptable service in offering them to English readers. The Hours of Devotion" are not very dissimilar from Sturm's

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Reflections,"—but the subjects of them are of a higher, and still more important rank; and their composition is certainly not inferior. The origin and nature," the aim and use❞—of the work, however, are best learnt from the author's own account of it in his "Preface;" but of the author himself (or authors-for the plurality may fairly be inferred from the difference of style which is observable) it may not be uninteresting to mention, that he is yet unknown, or at least unavowed. This is the more remarkable, inasmuch as a recent advertisement in a German literary Gazette announces the thirteenth edition of the work,-each edition, no doubt, consisting of at least ten thousand copies :timony in its favour sufficiently flattering and substantial, it might be supposed, to allure the writer from his concealment.

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To the splendid tribute of applause which has been awarded to this anonymous work upon the continent, the present translator desires to add his humble but unfeigned acknowledgement of its worth. If the reader derive as much

pleasure and edification from it as the editor has derived, he will not only esteem highly the extensive and critical knowledge of the human mind, and the truly Christian spirit, which are displayed throughout it, but he will experience no inconsiderable satisfaction in reflecting, that among a people to whom Englishmen are so nearly allied by blood, by politics, and by religion, there should be found so large a number of readers and enthusiastic admirers of such a publication ;-he will earnestly wish and pray, that, for the honour of God and the spiritual benefit of man, there may exist among his own countrymen, an equal willingness to accept so excellent a guide in devotional exercises of the heart-in rendering the common concerns of life subservient to the health of the soul, and its preparation for a more perfect state of existence.

With regard to the translation-it has been made as literal as the different idioms of the two languages would permit; and, indeed, in some instances, the construction of the English has been modelled after the peculiar character of the German-for the sake of retaining something of its natural expressiveness and force. This will be more readily excused than the

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