foras so essential a part of our political constitution of government. On this subject, to which we cannot but be away alive, we have preserved, in the present volume, Dr. Marsh's letters in defence of Dr. Bell's system

*

the aspersions of Mr. Lancaster; Mr. Lan Cat's letters in reply to Dr. Marsh; and the letter Layman zealously attached to the Church of England, on Mr. Lancaster's reply. These, together it the letters of a writer under the signature of Lus, which will be found in our succeeding lame, afford a complete view of that branch of de controversy.

Nor is it only as a means of checking, and keeping within its proper bounds that enterprize, which is sometimes ostentatiously called the Lancastrian, and somees the Scriptural education, that we rejoice in the sense of danger that has been awakened. It has led also to a public acknowledgment of the necessity of a Church of England Education, as a National Education, and to the commencement of institutions upon great and comprehensive principle, That the national religion is the proper foundation for all national education. In reference to the opposite system, it has been remarked, "That merely to admit the Bible' (which admission is the boasted basis of that system)

'as

as constituting the basis of religious opinion, is in fac definitively nothing;' and this language, though it ha given offence to enthusiasts, and perhaps to some per sons of a better description, is strictly just. If t admit the Bible as the basis of religious opinion were definitively any thing, what need were there of the Thirty-nine Articles, or of another Confession of Faith established or dissenting?

In the historical part of our Magazine we have been compelled to fall into some arrears, which will be discharged in the fourth volume.

PREFACE

ΤΟ

THE THIRD VOLUME.

IN pursuit of the design adopted for this Magazine, of illustrating, by popular descriptions and elegant and accurate engravings, the Greek and Roman Marbles and other contents of the collection in the British Museum, there have been published, in the course of the present volume, not only the Illustrations of the Fourth Room, but a set of finished engravings, representing the PORTLAND VASE, which the generosity of its noble owner has very recently placed in the Gallery of Antiquities for public inspection. Along with the engravings, have also been given an abstract of some of the proposed explications of the basso-relievos, and particularly the ingenious and beautiful one by Dr. Darwin. In our succeeding volume, some addenda to the description will close our account of this exquisite production of art, which, as is justly observed by an eminent artist, has engaged the attention, and exercised

GEN, CHRON. VOL. III.

a

the

as constituting the basis of religious opinion, is in fact definitively nothing;' and this language, though it has given offence to enthusiasts, and perhaps to some persons of a better description, is strictly just. If to admit the Bible as the basis of religious opinion were definitively any thing, what need were there of the Thirty-nine Articles, or of another Confession of Faith established or dissenting?

In the historical part of our Magazine we have been compelled to fall into some arrears, which will be discharged in the fourth volume.

PREFACE

TO

THE THIRD VOLUME.

IN pursuit of the design adopted for this Magazine, of illustrating, by popular descriptions and elegant and accurate engravings, the Greek and Roman Marbles and other contents of the collection in the British Museum, there have been published, in the course of the present volume, not only the Illustrations of the Fourth Room, but a set of finished engravings, representing the PORTLAND VASE, which the generosity of its noble owner has very recently placed in the Gallery of Antiquities for public inspection. Along with the engravings, have also been given an abstract of some of the proposed explications of the basso-relievos, and particularly the ingenious and beautiful one by Dr. Darwin. In our succeeding volume, some addenda to the description will close our account of this exquisite production of art, which, as is justly observed by an eminent artist, 'has engaged the attention, and exercised

GEN, CHRON. VOL. III,

a

the