GENERAL PREFACE. N giving to the public a new edition of Bishop Butler's Sermons, it has been the wish of the publishers to put forth such a volume as with their previous edition of the "Analogy" might embrace the whole of his recoverable works, together with a summary of what is known concerning his personal history. I have been greatly indebted, in editing this volume, to the kindness of many friends; among whom I must particularise, in the first place, the Rev. John E. B. Mayor, of St. John's College, Cambridge, who procured me a copy of the unpublished "Fragment of the Charge at Bristol," which is the gem of our edition, as well as furnishing several valuable hints and notices; and in the second, the Rev. M. Benson, who most kindly allowed me the use of a MS. biography of his great namesake the Bishop of Gloucester, from which I have drawn such notices of his life as are worked into my Memoir. I would gladly mention other friends also, but space would fail me to do them all justice, so that I trust they will accept this general acknowledgment of their great and spontaneous kindness. With the exception of what refers to Bp. Benson, I have done little more than re-arrange the materials already collected by Mr. Bartlett and by the Bishop of Cork, in his admirable edition of the " Analogy," so that I have thought it unnecessary to burden my pages with frequent references to authorities. I believe the series of Letters is much more complete than any hitherto published; the "Fragment of the Bristol Charge" I have already referred to. The only other new features are the small Remains I first published in 1853, the attempt to follow Dr. Whewell in marking out the "Fifteen Sermons" into paragraphs, and the Index, for which I must ask the indulgence of the learned, who will allow for the difficulty of the work in judging of the manner of its performance. Little Steeping, Aug. 1861. EDWARD STEERE. |