of cities, and of education. The chief
value of the work, however, lies in the light that is thrown
upon the history of Virginia during the years between 1728 and
1741, by the publication of the decisions which were before in
manuscript form and practically inaccessible to the
investigator.

Bernard, John.--Retrospections of America, 1797-1811. Harper and
Brothers, New York, 1887. One volume. Bernard was famous in his
time as a comedian and one of the earliest American managers of
theatrical companies. He visited Virginia in 1799 and made many
excursions to the homes of the wealthy planters. He thus had an
opportunity to see the inner life of the most refined class of
the state. His descriptions of their manners and morals, their
tastes, their hospitality and their love of out-of-door sports
are interesting and usually accurate.

Beverley, Robert.--The History and Present State of Virginia, in
Four Parts. Printed for R. Parker, at the Unicorn, under the
Piazza's of the Royal-Exchange, 1705. One volume. The work
consists of an outline of the history of the colony from 1607 to
1705; of a statement of the natural productions of Virginia; its
industries and its facilities for trade; of an account of the
Indians and a brief summary of the government at the time of
publication. The work is of value chiefly as a description of
Virginia at the beginning of the 18th century. In the account
given of the history of the colony in the earlier days there are
many errors.

Brown, Alexander.--The Genesis of the United States. Two volumes.
Houghton, Mifflin and Company, Boston and New York. This work
consists of an account of the movement which resulted in the
founding of Virginia, presented in the form of a series of
documents not before printed, and of rare contemporaneous tracts
reissued for the first time. The author, in a later work,
criticises The Genesis of the United States in the following
words, "I did not fully understand the case myself. I had failed
(as every one else had previously done) to give due
consideration to the influence of imperial politics on the
history of this popular movement. I had also failed to consider
properly the absolute control over the evidences, in print and
in manuscript, possessed by the crown." The chief value of the
work lies in the fact that