How truthful and reliable these Nebraska tales are it is, of course, impossible for one at this distance to say. We will suppose they are all right. Some other statements are not. What will be thought, for instance, of this sentence, taken from page 22: "Prior to Dr. White's band of colonists, a Dr. Whitman, who was a missionary in the Puget Sound country, where he had settled in 1835 with a colony of Americans, and where there were only about 150 white people living at this early date, was sent to Washington. D. C., to place the situation of that section before Congress, setting forth the fears of the American residents that England had intentions of forcibly adding this vast country to her domain." THOMAS W. PROSCH. * * * * * CONTEMPORARY HISTORY, 1877-1913. By Charles A. Beard, Associate Professor of Politics in Columbia University. (New York, The Macmillan Company, 1914, Pp. 397.) Professor Beard, whose work in opening new paths in historical study ranks him among the most virile writers and thinkers, breaks another historical tradition in the present volume. Constantly being confronted by the facts that students know almost nothing of the elementary facts of American history since the Civil War, Professor Beard concluded to break down one reason for it--by presenting a handy guide to contemporary history. This volume like all Professor Beard's writings is vigorous, stimulating and incisive. It is not meant to be the final word, but it is hoped that it will stimulate "on the part of the student some of that free play of mind which Matthew Arnold has shown to be so helpful in literary criticism." The work was well worth doing and has been exceptionally well done. * * * * * VIRGINIA UNDER THE STUARTS, 1607-1688. By Thomas J. Wertenbaker, Ph. D. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1914. Pp. 271.) Doctor Wertenbaker presents a neatly printed volume in which the story of Virginia's history is rewritten in the light of the results of modern research into the documentary side of Virginia's early colonial history. He has made no claims of originality but appreciating the need of a history of Virginia which takes into account the newer discoveries of manuscripts, legislative journals and letters, and the work put forth in monographs, he has rewritten the account. Students of Virginia history who have not had access to this new material, or the time to digest it will thoroughly appreciate Doctor Wertenbaker's services. May his good example be followed by others. * * * * * LES ETATS-UNIS D'AMERIQUE. By Baron D'Estournelles de Constant. (Paris, Librairie Armand Colin, 1913. Pp. 536. 5 fr.)