AUTHOR'S NOTE.

THE following Lectures were prepared to be delivered before the students of the Union Theological Seminary in New York, on what is there known as "The Ely Foundation," and also before the Lowell Institute in Boston. They were subsequently, by request, delivered in Brooklyn.

The publication of them has been delayed, partly by the necessity of using occasional and infrequent intervals of time for collating and transcribing the passages from various authors whose respective statements of fact or opinion will be found in the Appendix, and partly by the wish to get sufficient leisure for revis ing the Lectures, for considering critically the argument which they present, after the mind should have ceased to be affected by any lingering influence from the impulse of rapid writing, for limiting whatever might appear on such review excessive in statement, and for reinforcing whatever a maturer thought might regard as imperfect in conception or inadequate in expression. Circumstances have hardly permitted the writer, to the full measure of his desire, to accomplish this purpose. Sen tences have occasionally been changed in form. A number of paragraphs are retained on the printed page, which had been ex

* Established by Mr. Z. Stiles Ely, of New York, A.D. 1865; the title of the Lectureship being "The Elias P. Ely Lectures, on the Evidences of Christianity."

cluded in speaking by lack of time. In a few instances, the argument, where it seemed needful, has been slightly expanded, or differently illustrated. But in all important respects the Lectures appear in the volume as they were when delivered.

A good many notes and references have here been added to them, as will be observed: in the hope that these may illustrate, sustain, or if needful correct, related statements in the text. In arranging these Notes the compiler of them has had no thought of seeking to instruct studious scholars, to whom, on the other hand, he gladly acknowledges his constant indebtedness, and to whom he is quite aware that many of the Notes will seem wholly superfluous. But knowing that some of those whom it is hoped that the Lectures will interest may not have ready access to some of the books important to be consulted in connection with the subject, he has thought it well to quote, instead of merely referring to, such passages from ancient or modern au thors, lying within his reach, as have seemed to have the most direct bearing upon his principal trains of thought. The many to whom these passages are familiar, or who might easily turn to them in their libraries, will understand, he doubts not, the motive which has prompted to the printing of them here, for the convenience of those less amply equipped.

Other passages, equally pertinent, have been excluded, by an unwillingness to increase unduly the size of the volume. In making selection of those to be printed, while laying others aside, the lecturer has had, of course, to use his own judgment as to what would probably be most interesting or helpful to those reading his pages. He has no doubt made mistakes, perhaps many, in applying this rule; and he regrets the absence of passages which he had taken pains to collect, because possessing to his mind important significance. But he hopes that, in the main, affirmative statements made in the Lectures will be found to have

sufficient verification in the Notes; and that the roots of the tree, even as here presented, will not be deemed altogether unequal to the trunk and branches which they ought to sustain.

When the passages cited have been taken from classical or for eign authors, they are always presented in an English translation, to render them serviceable to those unacquainted with other languages. Where this translation has been made by the writer, he has sought to secure accuracy in it, rather than ele gance. But he has freely used translations by others, where these have become accredited among scholars, and where no reason for changing them has appeared. Thus the quotations from Plato are made in Jowett's version; those from Plutarch, in Goodwin's, or Clough's; and those from the early Christian Fathers, almost uniformly, in the translations of the Ante-Nicene Library. Especially where the meaning of single words has been a matter of special importance, as is not infrequently the case, one naturally prefers to have his own judgment thus corrected or justified by the conclusions of others.

In not a few instances, as will be noticed, extracts are taken from modern authors with whose general lines of thought the writer of the Lectures can by no means agree, and from whose prevailing spirit he must earnestly dissent, but who seem to him, upon the points specifically touched, to have borne a witness to the truth which as coming from them has perhaps peculiar value. In all cases, it is to be distinctly understood that the gen. eral sentiments quoted, from whatever author, may not be precisely or fully expressive of the opinions of the lecturer. They are sometimes purposely taken from those with whom he differs, as showing how other minds have regarded the same matters, and as repeating the thoughts concerning those matters which they have put into energetic or attractive expression.

To enable any one wishing to do so to verify the references, or

to read the cited passages in their original context, the editions which have been used are carefully mentioned; and they have been the most recent which it has been convenient to consult. Where foreign editions and American reprints have been equally accessible, the latter have been used in making the citations, the correctness of these being first ascertained, in order to afford all possible facilities to any wishing to examine them further. It is hoped that each Note will be found connected, with sufficient clearness, with the page on which stands the corresponding passage in the text of the Lectures; but this connection is only indicated at the beginning of the Note itself. In order to avoid the frequent and troublesome arrest of the eye in traversing the pages, it has seemed best, to both publisher and author, that all numbers or signs directing attention to the Appendix, should be omitted from the body of the volume. The comparatively few foot-notes which are retained have been employed to mark the location of passages fully quoted in the text, or of such as it has seemed less important than in other cases to print at large in the Appendix.

One who has suffered many times from the necessity of review. ing large parts of volumes which had been left wholly unindexed, in order to find a passage containing an important statement of fact or opinion, the authorship of which was known, but the precise place of which could not be recalled, may perhaps be pardoned if he has sometimes regretted that the ancient vigorous forms of anathema against sins of omission are not now in customary use. But he would certainly lose all claim to forgiveness on the part of his own readers if he had failed to supply to them what he has desired and missed in others. A very minute and elaborate Index was prepared for this volume, with the utmost kindness and care, by Dr. S. Austin Allibone, of the Lenox Library. The necessary limitation of the size of the volume pre

cluded, however, so large an addition, and a briefer Index has been substituted. It is believed that this will still afford, to those wishing to refer to any passage in the book, or to any author quoted or referred to, the needful assistance. In reading the Lectures and the Notes, for the purpose of preparing an Index, Dr. Allibone by no means charged himself with any responsibil ity for suggesting typographical corrections. But his accurate and trained eye detected occasional errors, which had before passed unnoticed; and to his judgment and critical taste, in such matters as in others, the author has been frequently indebted.

That branch of the External Evidences of the Divine origin of Christianity which is considered in these Lectures is often incidentally referred to, but it hardly seems to have had among us the comprehensive and particular treatment to which it is entitled. Professor George P. Fisher has treated a part of it, in his Lectures on "The Beginnings of Christianity," and he has done it with the abundant learning, the precision and elegance of statement, and the admirable candor, which he brings to the discussion of every subject. But large parts of it did not come within the range of his replete and instructive Lectures; and of these parts it is equally important to gain a distinct and just impression.

No one can become more profoundly aware, after reading the present Lectures, than the author of them already is, of the incompleteness of his own discussion of so great a subject—under the sharp limitations of time restricting the Lectures in their oral delivery, under the more imperious limitations imposed by manifold independent occupations. He found, however, long ago, in the trains of thought here suggested, instruction and satisfaction for his own mind, an argument for faith, an incitement to Christian obedience and service. In preparing the Lectures, therefore, he was not seeking to construct an argument for a foregone conclusion, but simply to recall and present to others an argument