To follow Mike Richey's authoritative article on the launch and subsequent development of the Journal is almost as daunting a task as it has been to follow his thirty-nine years as Editor.

My own time in post has amounted to a mere eleven years, a period which I have found both enjoyable and rewarding. Mike set and maintained a very high standard in the content and in the presentation of the Journal. Such was die reputation and the standing of the Journal that few changes were needed, and it was straightforward enough to continue on much the same lines. Straightforward, but not at all easy. It was only when I took over as Editor that I fully appreciated the care and attention to detail that Mike had invested in producing volume after volume to such a consistently high standard. Fortunately I have always had a dedicated and efficient Assistant Editor, most recently, Rebecca Dudley.