CONTROVERSIALIST, AND LITERARY MAGAZINE: DEVOTED TO THE IMPARTIAL AND DELIBERATE DISCUSSION OF RELIGION, PHILOSOPHY, HISTORY, POLITICS, AND TO THE PROMOTION OF SELF-CULTURE THE NEW YORK 3869 ASTOR, LENOX AND LONDON: PRINTED BY J. AND W. RIDER, BARTHOLOMEW CLOSE. PREFACE. THE ingathering of another year has come; and has brought with it one of those pleasing interspaces in the labours of the conductors of this serial in which they are privileged to hold personal intercourse with their readers, and to talk of the progress and prospects of the magazine. They have the pleasure of being able to report a considerable accession of interest on the part of their subscribers in the extension of the circulation, and in a desire to aid in the literary work on which the utility of the periodical depends. As a fair and open medium for the honest expression and friendly discussion of different opinions, it claims a place in literature; a place which it has held, unchallenged, for sixteen years, with varying fortunes, but with unvarying devotion to intellectual culture, freedom of thought, moral progress, and impartial debate. To make it a thorough vehicle for self-improvement, our readers are invited to occupy its columns with their opinions on the subjects under debate, and they are regarded as in duty bound to aid their fellow readers with such information as they can give, suitable to their wants-that so the corresponding advantages of teacher and taught may be alike enjoyed by each. În the search for or in the sifting of truth, all may bear a part and each be benefited. To be helpful, we must be helped. It delights us to believe that from a larger circle of subscribers, more awakened than heretofore to their own interest in the matter, we shall be able to draw our contributions in years to come, while from the improved arrangements experience is from time to time suggesting, we hope to keep up the interest of our readers while we raise the general quality of the magazine. The issues for this year may be taken as an earnest, of the truthful and trustful endeavours of the conductors to increase the living, human interest of the serial; to make it effective for the working out of those high aims which it has been their constant effort, to, ront, encourage, incite, and guide; and to justify its existence by the fulfilment, through it, of a distinct purpose, and by making it, "A closer link Betwixt us and the crowning race Of those that eye to eye shall look If these aspirations can be realized by thought, love, labour and earnestness of purpose, they shall not be wanting on our part, nor do we fear that appreciation of effort will be chargeable upon our readers. The gradual growth and painstaking adaptation of our magazine to the spirit of the age, might easily be tested by a comparison of the index of the present volume with that of some of our earlier issues. It would be seen that all the unique features which marked it, and gave it value in its youth, have been preserved, several new departments have been added, while though some have been extended and remo |