The Editor, in congratulating himself and his readers that his arduous hut not unpleasant labors are at length brought to a close, begs to acknowledge most
gratefully the cordial support which he has received from the conductors of the
periodical press, and the numerous favorable testimonies, not only from the most
eminent scientific men and manufacturing chemists, but also from non-professional
readers and subscribers generally, by which he has been sustained and encouraged.
It is only those who have been actually engaged in a work of this kind, that are
able to conceive the vast amount of labor which it involves, and the difficulty of
realizing in detail the ideal standard which an author usually proposes to himself
in commencing such an undertaking; especially one that has to extend over a
period of several years.