hough he
engaged with his father in the management of his malt-house. This early
life of Samuel Adams is portrayed with more than usual interest in this
biography. Then with great care we are given the salient points of his
career as a representative in the Massachusetts General Court, as a
leader of the Boston patriots in their resistance to British oppression,
as a member of the Continental Congress and in other public offices. We
are shown Samuel Adams as a man without great business or professional
talents but wonderful in counsel, a cool headed patriot, an adroit
tactician, and above all a thorough democrat. To mingle with the common
people was his delight; he was a frequenter of the Caulkers' Club,
popular with blacksmiths, ship carpenters, and mechanics. He was not a
great orator; but sometimes, rising with the greatness of the subject or
occasion was the most effective speaker to be heard.

The two features of Professor Hosmer's work which impress us most
forcibly are its fairness and its readableness. We have had one worthy
life of Adams before this in Wells's three volume biography, a work
highly valuable in its abundance of matter, but hardly so impartial as
the smaller and more recent biography. In its preparation, Professor
Hosmer has availed himself of Mr. Wells's work, of the Adams Papers in
Mr. Bancroft's possession, and of copious materials in the Boston
libraries. He has thus had every facility for his task and he has used
them to the best advantage.

In general interest this book is second to no other in the series of
American Statesmen, so far published. The story opens well and does not
diminish in interest to the end. The author, although now a St. Louis
man, is himself from the old Adams stock, and has amply shown his
capacity to prepare a concise and permanently valuable life of the
sturdy American patriot and town-meeting man, Samuel Adams.

[Footnote 7: Samuel Adams. By James K. Hosmer. American Statesman
Series. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Price $1.25.]

* * * * *

The only fault which we have to find with Mr. Drake's book[8] is, that
he has not done himself justice in his title. The title which he has
chosen is expressive neither of the size nor of the contents of his
work. We read at least one hundred pages before we find a New England
legend, and the only account of the folklore that we have been able to
find is in the author's introduction covering a