Four special bibliographies of American history are serviceable upon the field of this volume. First, most searching and most voluminous, is Justin Winsor, _Narrative and Critical History of America_ (8 vols., 1888-1889). Mr. Winsor has added to the study of the era of colonization by the writers of his co-operative work the vast wealth of his own bibliographical knowledge. The part of Winsor applicable to this volume is found in vol. III., in which most of the printed contemporary material is enumerated. The second bibliography is the _Cambridge Modern History,_ VII. (1903); pages 757-765 include a brief list of selected titles conveniently classified. J.N. Lamed, _Literature of American History, a Bibliographical Guide_ (1902), has brief critical estimates of the authorities upon colonial history. Channing and Hart, _Guide to the Study of American History_ (1896), contains accounts of state and local histories (Sec. 23), books of travel (Sec. 24), biography (Sec. 25), colonial records (Sec. 29), proceedings of learned societies (Sec. 31), also a series of consecutive topics with specific references (Sec.Sec. 92-98, 100, 101, 109-124). For the field of the present volume a short road to the abundant sources of material is through the footnotes of the principal secondary works enumerated below. The critical chapters in _The American Nation,_ vols. III. and V., contain appreciations of many authorities which also bear on the field of vol. IV. GENERAL SECONDARY WORKS The "Foundation" period, from 1574 to 1652, is naturally one of the most interesting in the annals of the American colonies. The most important general historians are George Bancroft, _History of the United States_ (rev. ed., 6 vols., 1883-1885); J.A. Doyle, _English Colonies in America_ (3 vols., 1882-1887); Richard Hildreth, _History of the United States_ (6 vols., 1849-1852); George Chalmers, _Political Annals of the American Colonies_ (1780); Justin Winsor, _Narrative and Critical History of America_ (8 vols., 1888-1889); John Fiske, _Discovery of America_ (2 vols., 1892), _Old Virginia and Her Neighbors_ (1900), _Beginnings of New England_ (1898), _Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America, New France and New England_ (1902). Among these writers three have conspicuous merit--Doyle, Winsor, and Fiske. Doyle's volumes manifest a high degree of philosophic perception and are accurate in statement and broad in conclusions. Of his books the volumes on the Puritan colonies are distinctly of a higher order than his volume on the southern colonies. The chief merit of Winsor's work is the critical chapters and parts of narrative chapters, which are invaluable. John Fiske is not wanting in the qualities of a great historian--breadth of mind and accuracy of statement; but his great charm is in his style and his power of vivifying events long forgotten. He has probably come nearer than any one else to writing real history so as to produce a popular effect. COLLECTIONS OF SOURCES