PREFACE.

AFTER safely steering through the dangerous rocks and shallows of nine numbers, the more difficult, and the more thankless part of our voyage remains, to indite a preface. To explain why we have ceased would be useless,we might with a much greater show of reason be asked to explain why we commenced. One or two things, however, may perhaps be mentioned without incurring the charge of egotism. The last four numbers have been published under peculiar disadvantages. The fervent zeal of Etonians for the athletic sports of the season has diminished its zeal for letters. One editor has been unavoidably absent from the post of duty; another has been obliged to retire from it う these