TO THE READERS OF " THE MONTHLY." 



THE few words which it has become requisite to preface the present Number 

 with, will not assume the important form of an Address ; a simple note of ex- 

 planation is all that is necessary. 



The " Monthly" has passed into other hands. This declaration will at once 

 account for any deviation from the political course it has lately adopted, that 

 may be observable in this number. The new conductors of the Magazine will 

 not say, in the hacknied phrase of most editorial addresses from the throne, that 

 they are " perfectly unbiassed by party feelings ;" on the contrary, they acknow- 

 ledge themselves to be influenced by party ; th'at party, is the People, headed by 

 a King who has the rare wisdom to perceive, that the dignity of the crown is 

 identified with the rights of the subject. It is not to them a matter of vast im- 

 portance, whether the number for. January, 1831, agree or not, in every political 

 particular, with the present for January, 1832 ; but it is exceedingly important 

 that they should express their opinions without reference to those of their pre- 

 decessors ; and that they should devote their Journal, as far as its influence 

 extends, to the dissemination of such principles as, in their belief, must ulti- 

 mately tend more to the true glory of England, than all its Blenheims, Agin- 

 courts, and Waterloos. 



By way of prelude to these internal changes, they have adopted an external 

 one. The new wrapper of the Magazine is decorated with the head of Milton 

 an outward and visible sign, they trust, of the inward spirit and integrity that 

 will characterize their pages. They make no apology for concluding this expla- 

 natory note with Wordsworth's noble sonnet to Milton : it was written thirty 

 years ago, and times are changed but the poetry of some of its passages has 

 survived the philosophy of others : 



SONNET TO MILTON. WORDSWORTH. 



" Milton, thou should'st be living at this hour ; 

 England hath need of thee ; she is a fen 

 Of stagnant water. Altar, sword, and pen, 

 Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower, 

 Have forfeited their ancient English dower 

 Of inward happiness. We are selfish men. 

 .. Oh ! raise us up, return to us again, 

 And give us manners, freedom, virtue, power. 

 Thy soul was like a star and dwelt apart ; 

 Thou had'st a voice whose sound was like the sea, 

 Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free. 

 So didst thou travel on life's common way 

 In cheerful godliness and } r et thy heart 

 The lowliest duties on herself did* lay." 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



To the many favours we owe our Correspondents, we must beg them to add 

 one more, by putting as charitable a construction as they can upon our silence, 

 whenever circumstances compel us as they have occasionally compelled us 

 during the past year to be a little Lord Eldonish in our decisions upon their 

 contributions. We anticipate no delays for the future. All communications 

 sent before the 10th of the month will be answered on the 1st of the succeeding 

 month ; from this rule we shall seldom allow ourselves a departure. 



Those Correspondents with whom we are at present in arrear, and who do 

 not receive private communications from us by the 10th of January, will find 

 their papers, after that day, at our publisher's. 



An unusual press of matter obliges us to omit several papers intended for 

 insertion. 



H. BAYLIS, JOHNSON'S-COURT, FLEET-STREET, 



