THE HERALDIC JOURNAL; RECORDING THE Armorial Bearings and Genealogies OF AMERICAN FAMILIES. VOLUME I. BOSTON: J. K. WIGGIN, PUBLISHER, 13 SCHOOL STREET. 1865. PREFACE. It is hoped that the first volume of the Heraldic Magazine has realized the moderate expectations of its projectors. The past year has been so full of important events, that it has been rather an unfortunate period to solicit attention to a new branch of historical study; yet a sufficient response has been made by the public to warrant a continuance of the Journal for another year. We may be allowed to call attention to a few points wherein this Journal has possibly been of substantial service. In the first place, the Monumental Inscriptions here copied have been for the first time printed entire, that is, with those armorial insignia which are as important as any date or other fact inscribed upon the stones. The Official Seals are portions of our records hitherto neglected, but yet most worthy of preservation. The examples of seals taken from Wills, and other documents, are now preserved from that destruction to which their fragile nature renders them liable. On all these points the permanence secured by the publication seems valuable, both for the present and future genealogists. |