To the right honourable Lord Halsbury, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, &c. &c. &c., this work is, by permission, respectfully dedicated, as a small token of admiration of his most distinguished public career; and of esteem and regard, for the deep and uniform interest his lordship takes in all religious and philanthropic institutions, and further, as a testimony of the author's gratitude, for the constant encouragement his lordship has given him during the last ten years, in his literary, scientific, and clerical pursuits.