PREFACE. ARRIVED, as we are, at the termination of another year, we beg to present to our numerous subscribers, correspondents, and friends, our cordial thanks for their past favours and assistance, and also to solicit at their hands a continuance of that brilliant and extensive patronage with which we have hitherto been so highly distinguished. We flatter ourselves that we have in some degree been instrumental in creating a taste for reading among many, and also in providing, in some extensive manner, that intellectual aliment which will not fail in promoting the benefit of those classes in society over whom we have been enabled to exert an influence. The power of the press has increased to an almost unlimited extent, and it has hitherto been employed for purposes redolent of evil, as well as of good; but we regret to say that the church of Christ has not yet accomplished what lies in her power to meet the moral wants of the community, which we think she is bound at least to attempt. We will not at present advert to the extent at which the daily press of the metropolis is circulated throughout the kingdom, but refer to the weekly issues of a number of Sunday papers, three of which amount to not less than 5,369,000 annually, and all, without any exception, are fearfully irreligious and demoralizing. From certain statistics which have been published, we are informed, that one Sabbath-breaking irreligious paper consumed nearly one million more stamps than thirteen religious papers which were published in the same period. A remarkable proof of the progress of Sunday newspaperreading is to be found in the fact, that, since the year 1843, four papers published on that day have arisen, and attained the large circulation of about 110,000 per week; 5,720,000 per year. Let the year's circulation of these be added to those previously mentioned, and we have a total yearly circulation of vicious and Sabbath-breaking stamped literature amounting to 11,089,000. We must now pass to a more fearful subject: the unstamped literature, which is provided. with unsparing hands, and conducted on principles so reckless, for the mental amusement of the lower orders of society, is of a still more debasing character and tendency. There are about seventy cheap periodicals, varying in price. from about three half-pence to one half-penny. In some of them openly vicious principles are repudiated, but the introduction of French novels is one leading feature of their character, and a great source of their morbid popularity; these are followed by a number of others, which command a yearly issue of about 6,240,000, of an infidel character, and grossly demoralizing. The entire yearly circulation of the different kinds of popular, but manifestly pernicious, literature, presents the astounding total of 28,862,000. Well may we exclaim, "Who will rise up for me against the evil-doers? or who will stand up for me against the workers |