journey; for those which exist are rather large surveys than maps; in which the general features are laid down on so extensive a scale, that they never exhibit a commodious view of the whole.

He determined, therefore, to draw up a sketch for himself, to lay down the great landmarks as distinctly as he could, and to fill up the details in such a manner as circumstances would allow. And conceiving that his own map, with all its imperfections, might be useful to others, he constantly framed it as he proceeded, thinking that, when his task was accomplished, it might either remain as a private memorial of his own studies, or be given to the public when the academical labours of the author were at an end, in case no work of the same description should previously supply the wants of individuals situated as he had been. When this period had arrived, and he hardly felt satisfied with the publications which had appeared, he ventured to print the present volumes. Mr. Southey's Book of the Church hardly satisfied him. Mr. Carwithen has given a very faithful description of the country through which he has passed, but he has not sufficiently pointed out the more striking features to which the attention of the traveller must be directed, if he wishes to obtain an idea of the whole territory. Many of the other writers who might here be mentioned have examined only a part of the history of our church, and are perhaps liable to other objections.

A larger work than the present would probably have been better suited to a greater variety of readers; a small one, if it be wisely composed, will seek the immediate benefit of one class only, and trust to the chance, that whatever is useful to one description of persons can hardly prove uninteresting to others. The professed object of these pages is to facilitate the studies of young men who are preparing themselves for the offices of the Church, through their academical pursuits.

The careful perusal of two small volumes may prevent them from being ignorant on those points on which general information is ordinarily expected: and prepare the way for more extensive studies, by furnishing them with the means of arranging systematically the knowledge which they shall otherwise acquire.

If such a book had fallen into the hands of the author twenty years agone, his labours might have been more profitably directed in the same course; for there is a certain quantity of knowledge necessary on every subject, before we shall proceed effectually to the acquisition of more; and it often happens that the want of this is not supplied, till the more active duties of life prevent the

1 Dr. Short begs leave in this edition to apologize to Mr. Southey for expressions used in the first, which ought never to have been printed, and which are, for that reason, now omitted; especially as the new edition of Mr. Southey's work has obviated the want of references, to which allusion is there made.

clergyman from taking advantage of those channels of information which would . otherwise have been open to him.

In the execution of this work, there is hardly enough of detail to satisfy the inquisitive; but while it assists him in his pursuits, it may prevent the idle from being totally ignorant on ecclesiastical history; it is with this view that the author has directed his particular attention to those points which constitute the history of the Church of England as it is at present established, to the Thirty-nine Articles, for instance, the translations of the Bible, and the Prayer Book.

It is probable that feelings of personal kindness may induce some individuals, who are possessed of a greater knowledge on ecclesiastical history, to favour these volumes with a reading; and they may wonder that the studies in which he has been engaged have not convinced the writer of the imperfections of his work, and the objections which may be raised against the attempt to crowd the whole history of our church into two small volumes. In extenuation of his defects, he would only plead the difficulty of the task, and beg them to examine the question on its right grounds. The work was composed when the author had an abundance of books, and but little time to use them; and has been prepared for the press in a small country village, where he has the command of his time, but of no library save his own private one. If, therefore, he had extended the limits of his work, the attempt must have been made under many disadvantages, of which they only can be fully aware who have once possessed a free admission into large libraries, of which they have been subsequently deprived. An occasional access to libraries is extremely useful for purposes of reference and collation; but he who collects materials for history must search among a variety of books which the hand of time has consigned to oblivion, and which are frequently unworthy of the attention of the general reader; and no one can do this who is not resident among public libraries; nor can it be regarded in any light less serious than a national calamity, that the necessary labours of those who reside in the universities almost preclude the possibility of their deriving any extensive advantages from the treasures which are preserved around them.

In despair, therefore, of accomplishing any thing more worthy of the subject, yet hoping that his present labours may not have been totally thrown away, he commits himself to the kindness of his friends and readers, with a full conviction that none of them are more fully aware of the deficiencies of these volumes than himself. With regard to actual mistakes, he presumes that many may be discovered, arising partly from the extensive range of history which he has been forced to embrace, while the reader will criticise that portion with which he is best acquainted; he will ask, therefore, for a fair indulgence from those who have never engaged in such a task, nothing doubting that he who knows the difficulty of avoiding such errors, from experience, will use that forbearance which the case requires.

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Some persons may object that the opponents of the Establishment are occasionally depicted in too favourable colours, and the defects of our common parent held up to view with less cautious respect than becomes a dutiful son of the Church of England. Let such remember, in the spirit of meekness, that there is a higher body to which we belong, and that the Church of England is no further our mother than as she proves herself a church of Christ. If such a charge be reasonably substantiated, no one will be more ready to find that he has been deceived than the writer of these pages; he has always endeavoured to search for the truth, and he hopes that in this pursuit he may never grow weary. To say that the Church of England is imperfect in constitution and practice, is only to say that she was partly framed by human beings, and is administered by men: but to pray that her maladministrations may be corrected by her friends, and her deficiencies supplied by those who understand her constitution, is the petition of one who, while he admires the Church of England, believes that neither communities nor individuals are infallible.

And if the perusal of these volumes shall be accompanied with a portion of that amusement which their composition has afforded the author; if they shall contribute to excite in the breast of others that love and admiration for our church which their preparation has confirmed in the heart of the writer, their publication will fully answer the desires of one who believes that the best reformation of the Church of England would be to reduce her in practice to what she is in theory; who believes that her doctrines are such, that he who ventures his eternal safety to her guidance is taking a secure path; and that the framework of her establishment is that which, under God's providence, is best suited, in the present state of the Christian world, to preserve and disseminate our holy faith among the various branches of society.

ADVERTISEMENT TO THE SECOND EDITION.

THE circumstances of the Author of this Sketch are so changed since he wrote it, that they will sufficiently account for his reprinting the work with little or no alteration. The Rector of Bloomsbury ought to be engaged in other tasks than that of writing ecclesiastical history. The public have taken off the first edition, as rapidly as could have been expected, considering its extent and the nature of the work; and in offering a second in a cheaper form, the Author has consulted the convenience of those for whose use it was originally designed; in this edition he has corrected such errors as his friends have kindly pointed out to him, and he places it before students in Theology, with the hope that it may assist them in becoming acquainted with the history of the Church of England; and that they may derive as much practical advantage from this pursuit, as he' has obtained from it, in all the different circumstances to which his clerical duties have called him.

RECTORY, ST. GEORGE'S, BLOOMSBURY,

April, 1838.