PREFACE. Xili 
contributors, younger men and men still younger, have recruited 
the ranks, and volunteers have enlisted in numbers constantly in- 
creasing, so that the flower of the host are now in the morning 
and meridian of life. 
We have been constantly advancing, like a traveller from 
the equinoctial towards the colder zones,—as we have increased 
our latitude, stars have set and new stars have risen, while a few 
planetary orbs visible in every zone, have continued to cheer us 
on our course. 
The number of articles, almost exclusively original, contained 
in the Journal is about 1800, and the Index will show how 
many have been contributed by each individual ; we have doubt- 
less included in this number some few articles republished from 
foreign Journals—but we think they are even more than coun- 
terbalanced by original communications without a name and by 
editorial articles, both of which have been generally omitted in 
the enumeration. ; 
Of smaller articles and notices in the Miscellany, we have not 
made any enumeration, but they evidently are more numerous 
than the regular articles, and we presume that they may amount 
to at least 2500. . 
Of party, either in politics or religion, there is no trace in our 
work ; of personalities there are none, except those that relate to 
priority of claims or other rights of individuals. Of these vindi- 
cations the number is not great, and we could heartily have wished 
that there had been no occasion for any. 
During twenty years from the inception of this Journal, the 
editor labored alone, although overtures for editorial cooperation 
had been made to him by gentlemen commanding his confidence 
and esteem, and who would personally have been very acceptable. 
It was, however, his opinion that the unity of purpose and action 
so essential to the success of such a work were best secured by 
individuality ; but he made every effort, and not without success, 
to conciliate the good will and to secure the assistance of gentle- 
men eminent in particular departments of knowledge. On the 
title page of No. 1, Vol. xxxiv, published in July, 1838, a new 
name is introduced: the individual to whom it belongs having 
