Hmericans 



A NEW SERIES OF BIOGRAPHIES 

 Edited by W. P. TRENT 



The notable interest in American Biography has gener- 

 ally been met by two widely different classes of publication 

 the biographical dictionaries, and volumes devoted each to 

 an individual. The principal notable exception was the Sparks 

 Series, but that appears to have been largely devoted to persons 

 who, in the editor's opinion, had suffered unmerited neglect; 

 and it never attempted a comprehensive treatment of leading 

 men systematically arranged. There seems room fora series 

 something like that of Sparks, but devoted to individuals in 

 whose lives everybody is interested. 



Such a one, to be called "Leading Americans," is now 

 begun. It will consist of large i2mo volumes, each containing 

 from half a dozen to a score of biographies, classified by 

 volumes according to the pursuits of the men treated. It will 

 include only such distinguished characters as are known to 

 virtually all reading people, and will be written by the most 

 capable authors who can be interested in the task. Pains will 

 be taken to make the volumes interesting and inspiring, no less 

 than reliable and instructive. 



The books are designed not so much to recount history, 

 as to portray the men who, in their respective departments, 

 have made history in the widest sense of the word. As a rule, 

 the biographies of living persons will be excluded, except where, 

 as with the explorers and inventors, obvious disadvantage would 

 result. The effort will be made not to allow history and 

 criticism to preponderate over biography, but it is also intended 

 that American achievement in all the chief fields of activity shall 

 be adequately covered in the volume or volumes devoted to a 

 subject. At convenient stages, a composite index will be 

 printed, which will emphasize the unity of the series and 

 facilitate its use as a work of reference. 



It is not intended to put the books on a plane that would 

 make much in them unattractive to any boy of fifteen who 

 might care to read biography. 



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