PREFACE. 



The rapid flight of time now proclaims to us that another year is 

 closing, and that it is by the good providence of our Creator that we 

 are permitted to arrive at the period when our last number of the 

 fifteenth volume of the Floricui.tubai< Cabinet is completed, and 

 the annual Preface to it is to be presented to our readers. In many 

 respects this is a pleasing duty, as we have to ofier, as we now do, our 

 very sincere tlianks both to the subscribers for their kind patronage, 

 and who, by calling for our successive labours, encourage us in prose- 

 cuting them, and to our correspondents, whose very valuable assistance 

 has so much contributed to the interest and value of the Magazine, and 

 thereby enabled us to offer to the public another volume, being the 

 first of the Third Series, which we think is not unworthy of the 

 two previous ones, but, in the selection of the ne^^'est and most hand- 

 some flowers figured, the manner of their execution, subjects introduced 

 and treated upon, as well as the arrangement of the whole, places it in 

 a more elevated position than they. 



The successive numbers that form the volume to which this Preface 

 is to be aflSxed Lave undergone the examination of our readers, and 

 either been approved or otherwise, according to the varied views and 

 tastes of the individuals. For an Editor to praise what he has done is 

 not consistent with modesty, and publicly to censure what he has done, 

 even if he thinks his labours defective, is scarcely to be expected in the 

 present state of human nature. All that we feel disposed to say res- 

 pecting tiie contents of the present volume is, that in prejiaration it has 

 been our earnest and ceaseless desire, as much as possible, and as far as 

 real ability would admit, to meet the wish of every class of our readers. 

 It is gratifying to us to have to state that not a single complaint has 

 been made to us through the year, but numerous assurances to the im- 

 provements effected have been sent from persons whose opinions are 



