exhibit the system before the mind, as a whole, and fix it steadfastly in the memory. Frequent allusion has consequently been made to the work, as furnishing, in a very interesting form, many valuable illustrations of the sacred Scriptures, and inquiries for it, especially of late, have been both frequent and fruitless.*

The present edition purports to be an abridgement. It is so, however, only to a small extent. It was desirable to include all that should be published within a single volume, and the Editor has therefore ventured to expunge occasionally a paragraph or a page which was not essential to the chain of the narrative, or to the accomplishment of the author's main design. In this way the dimensions of the work have been moderately reduced, while everything that is indispensable to its proper excellence or utility has been faithfully retained. A few brief notes have been added in the margin, and occasionally words and parts of sentences, of an explanatory or modifying character, have been introduced into the text.

The English edition, published in 1824, contains nearly a hundred pages of closely printed notes, in the form of an appendix to each volume. These notes, as they throw much light upon numerous points which are barely alluded to in the text, are extremely valuable. But a large proportion of them consist of quotations from other languages, such as

*

Theological Professors have often recommended the work to their pupils.

Hebrew, Greek and Latin, and of references to various authors whose works are not within the reach of common readers, and therefore their utility to any except the learned would be very limited. It is consequently considered as injudicious to include them in the present edition, especially as they are too extensive to be incorporated, even one half of them, in this volume, without swelling it to an undue magnitude.

Readers who are desirous of availing themselves to the utmost of the utility of this volume, will not fail to read it with the Bible before them, and to turn in course to all the passages of Scripture to which he will find in almost every page copious references. The poetical quotations from the Old Testament, which are sufficiently liberal, will be found to vary in some respects, in phraseology, from the common version. These variations, so long as they do not essentially affect the sentiment, are unobjectionable. Perhaps to some minds they may be advantageous. Truth, seen through a new medium, often makes a new impression.

Boston, April, 1835.

B. S.