It was originally the design of the writer to have enriched the present work with a condensed history, and lithographic views, of all the public institutions in this city, in which Dr. S. laboured; and to have furnished the statistics of New-York, from the days of its original founders, materials for which had been amply provided in a manuscript volume which Dr. S. prepared, with incredible labour, in the examination of the public and private sources of statistical information; and which contained important facts relating to the history of New-York, for more than one hundred and eighty years past, which few other men had the means of obtaining. This valuable production, written in Dr. Stanford's usual style of elegant penmanship, was presented to the Common Council of New-York, but is now, we fear, irrecoverably lost. Great disappointment has been experienced in the impossibility of finding this book, notwithstanding a most laborious and persevering search of about six months; by which this memoir has been delayed until the present time, and the author has been compelled to have recourse to other sources for the historical statements which are interspersed throughout the present work.

That the following pages, designed to promote the interests of evangelical piety, may be acceptable to the reader, and accompanied with the blessing of God, is the sincere prayer, and the highest ambition, of

THE AUTHOR.