Excerpt from The Metropolitan, Vol. 2: A Monthly Magazine, Devoted to Religion, Education, Literature, and General Information; February, 1854 January, 1855 IN closing the Second Volume of the Metropolitan, we turn to the past with feelings of gratification. When we commenced the work, two years ago, we were admonished from past experience, of the many difficulties to be encountered in establishing a Monthly Periodical, devoted to the interests of Catholicity. During that time our best efforts have been directed towards rendering the work, what we originally contemplated it to be; a Vindicator and expositor of Catho lic doctrine, a miscellany of literary and religious intelligence, a chronicle of the most important ecclesiastical and secular events, a pleasing and instructive companion for every Catholic family. Such were the designs which prompted the undertaking of the work. It affords us, therefore, no small gratification to find that our efforts have met the cordial support and encouragement of the Catholic community. We avail ourselves of this opportunity to express our grateful acknowledgments to the patrons and friends of the Metropolitan, and especially to the Rev. Clergy, to whose generous exertions We are much indebted for its success. To contributors and the conductors of the Press, we also tender a tribute of gratitude for their friendly efforts and favorable notices. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.