and in all cases a careful inspection of not less than forty volumes of correspondence, and several hundred volumes of religious biography. In many cases the examination of ponderous works was unrewarded by the addition of even a single letter. The value, therefore, of such a work can be appreciated only by those who will bear in mind that they are here presented, in a narrow compass, with the results of a very protracted, tedious, and widely extended research.

Some readers may perhaps be surprised to find a few letters, which they may recollect to have read with pleasure, omitted. It is of course impossible, nor could it answer any good purpose, to enter into the various reasons which determined the editor in his admission or rejection of materials. All that he asks of the reader, is, that he will not lightly believe that the rejection of any thing really good was without a reason, which in the editor's eyes appeared sufficient. Sometimes, for example, he might think that he possessed a sufficient quantity of still more excellent matter from the same author; sometimes, that he had already given to that department of the work in which the rejected letter would fall as much space as could well be afforded. In not a few instances it was found that letters

which are interesting enough in the biographical works in which they occur, were so deeply imbedded in the narrative as to render it impossible to transfer them without tearing away a considerable part of the works themselves, or at least without accompanying them with a body of notes and comments strangely disproportioned to the matter which it was the object to illustrate. To have simply transplanted them would have been to destroy them. Where, however, a few short notes were considered sufficient to render the letters perfectly intelligible, such explanatory notes have been subjoined, and the letters retained.

Some readers may at first be disposed to consider the letters in some particular sections too numerous; as for example, the letters "of consolation and condolence," and the letters "administering spiritual counsel, encouragement, reproof," &c. The editor can only say, that if they will but carefully inspect those letters, he believes they will with him be astonished, not that the same sentiment should be frequently repeated, (which is of course inevitable,) but that the modes of treating the same subjects should, after all, be so diversified. Never before was he so struck with the fulness, rich

ness, and variety of the topics of consolation, which Christianity administers in sorrow, temptation, and perplexity; or with the different aspects under which differently constituted minds will view circumstances precisely similar.

Upon the whole, it is believed that the Christian can be placed in very few circumstances of life, whether of sorrow or temptation, of prosperity or adversity, without seeing in these volumes how some of the wisest and holiest of men have felt, or acted, or thought, in circumstances closely resembling their own.

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF THE WRITERS.

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF THE WRITERS.