the author cannot hope to escape adverse criticism in this respect. While absolute accuracy would have been impossible to attain, he has nevertheless taken no little pains to approach this ideal; and to this end, besides resorting to the ordinary means of information, he has consulted hundreds of catalogues of libraries, colleges, and publishers, as well as denominational year-books, and in numberless instances has availed himself of trustworthy information received directly from private sources. It thus happens that in certain cases dates given in this volume differ from those in other works of reference, and where this occurs the reason for the adoption of a different date herein is supported by excellent authority. It has been thought advisable to retain the “u” in the spelling of such words as “colour,” “favour,” and the like, the exceptions to this occurring in titles where the spelling of the original has been followed. In connection with this it may not be amiss to note that the original spelling of titles has been very commonly though not invariably retained. To have done this in every instance, however, would have entailed more labour than it was desirable to incur. For several reasons the author has thought best in his classification of certain authors to discriminate between poets and verse-writers. To apply the name of poet to each and every writer of verse would have been manifestly unjust. The poets of a generation are not numerous, but the verse-writers are very many. If the term “poet” be loosely applied it loses its signification, while to deny that name to many a writer of excellent verse is to do him no injustice, but rather a service, as it is no disparagement to a private soldier not to be addressed as colonel. To the many persons who have so cordially responded to his letters of inquiry, and whom he may not thank by name, the writer desires in this place to express his acknowledgments. To Mr. Arthur Mason Knapp, the superintendent of the Bates Hall department of the Boston Public Library, he has been indebted for very much in the way of help and suggestion from the time the work was begun, and to other officials of that department he is under obligations likewise. He also gratefully acknowledges much timely assistance received from the publishing firms of Lee & Shepard, T. Y. Crowell & Co., and Lamson, Wolffe & Co. In the reading of the proofs many valuable suggestions have been received from the proof-readers at the Riverside Press; but his especial thanks are due his friend, Mr. Francis H. Allen, of Boston, whose watchful, critical supervision has been exercised upon every page of proof from first to last. The debt of gratitude which the writer owes him for this service may not be lightly estimated. Without his help, the book would have fallen far short of whatever measure of excellence it may now be judged to attain. THE HERMITAGE, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, JUNE 17, 1897. PUBLISHERS NAMED IN THIS VOLUME. _Am._ American Book Co. New York. _Ap._ D. Appleton & Co. New York. _Ar._ Arena Publishing Co. Boston. _A. U. A._ American Unitarian Association Boston. _Ba._ Baker & Taylor Co. New York. _Bai._ Henry Carey Baird & Co. Philadelphia. _Ban._ Banner of Light Publishing Co. Boston. _Bap._ American Baptist Publication Society Philadelphia. _Bar._ A. S. Barnes & Co. New York. _Ben._ Benziger Bros. New York. _Bo._ Bowen-Merrill Co. Indianapolis. _Bon._ Bonnell, Silver & Co. New York. _Bur._ Burrows Brothers Co. Cleveland. _Cas._ Cassell Publishing Co. New York. _Cent._ Century Co. New York. _Clke._ Robert Clarke Co. Cincinnati. _Co._...