14 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIEXCES [Proc. 4th Ser. 



a serious attempt to interpret the great poem which has been a 

 puzzle to leading critics for over a century. The review dis- 

 played much acumen. It was written wnth more than ordi- 

 nary care, and furnishes a fascinating introduction to the 

 study of one of the greatest of literary works. 



Stephen J. Field, after an eminently successful legal career 

 in California, became Justice of the Supreme Court of the 

 United States. Around his picturesque experiences clustered 

 many of the exciting episodes in the history of the State. The 

 Sharon will case, involving Sarah Althea Hill and former 

 Chief Justice Terry, culminated in the shooting of Judge 

 Terry by U. S. Marshal Neagle, at Lathrop, Cal.. while 

 Neagle was acting as guard over Judge Field under instruc- 

 tions from the United States Department of Justice. This 

 tragic event caused a great sensation throughout the United 

 States, while California was for the time in a turmoil of dis- 

 cussion over the event and the causes that led up to it. Judge 

 Field was constantly importuned by his friends to write the 

 story of his dramatic life, and at length he dictated his rem- 

 iniscences to Mr. Hittell. This was in 1877. Judge Field 

 decided to issue the book privately, for distribution to his 

 friends only. In 1893 a second edition was printed for pri- 

 vate distribution, but the book was never officially published. 

 It is not generally known that Mr. Hittell wrote these remi- 

 niscences, although it could easily be inferred by a careful 

 reader; because on page 108, edition 1893, occurs the follow- 

 ing sentence: "Here my narrative of 'Personal Experiences' 

 must for the present end. I could have given you. Mr. Hit- 

 tell, more interesting matter." The volume is entitled Per- 

 sonal Reminiscences in California, and besides the dictated 

 portions and an article from the Sacramento Union on the 

 career of Judge Field, includes an elaborate statement of the 

 Sharon litigation and the sensational events that focused in 

 the death of Judge Terry, written by George C. Gorham, a 

 personal friend of Judge Field, and for many years Secretary 

 of the United States Senate. It is a book of absorbing in- 

 terest and is now very rare. 



It was during his law partnership with Mr. Felton, and in 

 the most exacting period of his legal career, in 1871, that 

 Mr. Hittell began the stupendous work of writing his History 



