PUBLICATIONS OF THE Mississippi Historical Society Edited by FRANKLIN L. RILEY Secretary Reprinted 1919 BY DUNBAR ROWLAND, LL. D. Secretary VOL. II. OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI: PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY. 1899. OFFICERS FOR 1899 PRESIDENT: GENERAL STEPHEN D. LEE, Columbus, Mississippi. VICE-PRESIDENTS: PROFESSOR R. W. JONES, University of Mississippi. JUDGE B. T. KIMBROUGH, Oxford, Mississippi. ARCHIVIST: CHANCELLOR R. B. FULTON, University of Mississippi. SECRETARY AND TREASURER: PROFESSOR FRANKLIN L. RILEY, University of Mississippi. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: (IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE OFFICIALS) PROFESSOR J. M. WHITE, Agricultural and Mechanical College of Mississippi. PROFESSOR CHARLES HILLMAN BROUGH, of Mississippi College. PROFESSOR W. L. WEBER, of Millsaps College. PRESIDENT J. R. PRESTON, of Stanton College. * * * * * All persons who are interested in the work of the Society and desire to promote its objects are invited to become members. There is no initiation fee. The only cost to members is, annual dues, $2.00, or life dues, $30.00. Members receive all publications of the Society free of charge. Donations of relics, manuscripts, books and papers are solicited for the Museum and Archives of the Society. Address all communications to the Secretary of the Mississippi State Historical Society, University P. O., Mississippi. CONTENTS PAGE TITLE, 1 OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY FOR 1899, 3 CONTENTS, 5 THE HISTORICAL ELEMENT IN RECENT SOUTHERN LITERATURE, by _Prof. C. Alphonso Smith_, 7 IRWIN RUSSELL--FIRSTFRUITS OF THE SOUTHERN ROMANTIC MOVEMENT, by _Prof. W. L. Weber_, 15 WILLIAM WARD, A MISSISSIPPI POET ENTITLED TO DISTINCTION, by _Prof. Dabney Lipscomb_, 32 SHERWOOD BONNER, HER LIFE AND PLACE IN THE LITERATURE OF THE SOUTH, by _Prof. Alexander L. Bondurant_, 43