CONTROVERSIALIST, AND LITERARY MAGAZINE: ESTABLISHED FOR THE IMPARTIAL AND DELIBERATE DISCUSSION "Upon the points in which we dissent from each other, afgument will always secure "He does me the first good office who makes me right in my notion where I was VOLUME V.-NEW SERIES. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY HOULSTON AND WRIGHT, 65, PATERNOSTER ROW. PUBLIC LIBRARY 191023 ASTOR, LENOX AND LONDON: J. & W, RIDER, PRINTERS, 14, BARTHOLOMEW CLOSE, E.U. PREFACE. CICERO, in one of his letters to Atticus, speaks of a stock of prefaces or exordiums which he always kept ready for use, as occasion required. Such a collection would be very valuable to the editors of our periodical literature, and especially to those who, like ourselves, are required to make up half-yearly volumes. Some little difficulty would, however, be experienced, to find that which would be exactly suitable to the varied character of our work, and the numerous subjects which are taken up even in this tome. It would be undesirable to expatiate on the objects of this serial, as they are fully set forth in the title-page, and generally understood by the public. It would be useless to attempt to prove the existence of a want which the British Controversialist was designed to supply, because this is clearly established by the lengthened period during which, this Magazine has been sustained, and the large measure of success which it has enjoyed; while the impartiality of the conductors, and the calmness and candour of the contributors, have been placed beyond suspicion by the ten volumes already published. There is, however, one characteristic of this work, which has been strikingly illustrated during the past six months, and may be remarked upon here, viz., the ease with which our Magazine is made to meet the requirements of the times, in directing thoughtful attention to those great social and political questions to which passing events give prominence, and invest with paramount importance. Thus, that fearful rebellion, which has swept over our eastern dependencies, with results more dire than ever followed the fiercest storms of heaven, has suggested the careful consideration of its origin, and the friendly discussion of its |