3 o AMERICAN MEN OF LETTERS [30 



In the consideration of the names of candidates for the 

 roll, the alphabetical order was followed. This method not 

 only expedited the work, but served to prevent the intru- 

 sion of any possible bias in favor of a particular time or 

 place. Dates and places of birth were not noted till the 

 final list had been completed. 



It seemed best to admit to the roll only persons born prior 

 to the year 1851. There were two reasons for this restric- 

 tion. The biographies of writers born after 1850 were 

 found to be few and incomplete. Moreover, it seemed un- 

 fair to pass judgment on an author before it was certain 

 that he had achieved his maximum literary reputation. For 

 most of the younger writers such a decision could not be 

 made. On the other hand, it appeared that few writers 

 who had attained the age of sixty-four x would be likely 

 to alter their status in the literary world to any important 

 degree. Hence it seemed quite safe to consider as candi- 

 dates for the list all authors born before 1851. 



None of the chief sources used were published after 

 1900. Inasmuch, however, as no eligible author who was 

 little known before 1900 subsequently sprang into promi- 

 nence, it seems probable that these sources included the 

 names of all persons who were sufficiently important at the 

 time of the compilation of the roll (1914) to deserve a 

 place on the roll of the thousand foremost American men 

 of letters born prior to 185 1. 



The first preliminary survey gave a total of nearly thir- 

 teen hundred names. This entire roll was carefully scruti- 

 nized a second time, and the sources again consulted. It 

 was then apparent that some authors had been included 



1 The list was compiled in 1914. Inasmuch as the latest reference 

 works were consulted, including Who's Who in America for 1914-1915, 

 it seems probable that the true rank of each living author was de- 

 termined with adequate accuracy. 



