“WASHINGTON IRVING.”

Mr. Warner has not only written with sympathy, minute knowledge of his subject, fine literary taste, and that easy, fascinating style which always puts him on such good terms with his readers, but he has shown a tact, critical sagacity, and sense of proportion full of promise for the rest of the series which is to pass under his supervision.—New York Tribune.

It is a very charming piece of literary work, and presents the reader with an excellent picture of Irving as a man and of his methods as an author, together with an accurate and discriminating characterization of his works.—Boston Journal.

It would hardly be possible to produce a fairer or more candid book of its kind.—Literary World (London).

“NOAH WEBSTER.”

Mr. Scudder’s biography of Webster is alike honorable to himself and its subject. Finely discriminating in all that relates to personal and intellectual character, scholarly and just in its literary criticisms, analyses, and estimates, it is besides so kindly and manly in its tone, its narrative is so spirited and enthralling, its descriptions are so quaintly graphic, so varied and cheerful in their coloring, and its pictures so teem with the bustle, the movement, and the activities of the real life of a by-gone but most interesting age, that the attention of the reader is never tempted to wander, and he lays down the book with a sigh of regret for its brevity.—Harper’s Monthly Magazine.

It fills completely its place in the purpose of this series of volumes.—The Critic (New York).

“HENRY D. THOREAU.”

Mr. Sanborn’s book is thoroughly American and truly fascinating. Its literary skill is exceptionally good, and there is a racy flavor in its pages and an amount of exact knowledge of interesting people that one seldom meets with in current literature. Mr. Sanborn has done Thoreau’s genius an imperishable service.—American Church Review (New York).

Mr. Sanborn has written a careful book about a curious man, whom he has studied as impartially as possible; whom he admires warmly but with discretion; and the story of whose life he has told with commendable frankness and simplicity.—New York Mail and Express.

It is undoubtedly the best life of Thoreau extant.—Christian Advocate (New York).

“GEORGE RIPLEY.”

Mr. Frothingham’s memoir is a calm and thoughtful and tender tribute. It is marked by rare discrimination, and good taste and simplicity. The biographer keeps himself in the background, and lets his subject speak. And the result is one of the best examples of personal portraiture that we have met with in a long time.—The Churchman (New York).

He has fulfilled his responsible task with admirable fidelity, frank earnestness, justice, fine feeling, balanced moderation, delicate taste, and finished literary skill. It is a beautiful tribute to the high-bred scholar and generous-hearted man, whose friend he has so worthily portrayed.—Rev. William H. Channing (London).

“JAMES FENIMORE COOPER.”

We have here a model biography. The book is charmingly written, with a felicity and vigor of diction that are notable, and with a humor sparkling, racy, and never obtrusive. The story of the life will have something of the fascination of one of the author’s own romances.—New York Tribune.

Prof. Lounsbury’s book is an admirable specimen of literary biography.… We can recall no recent addition to American biography in any department which is superior to it. It gives the reader not merely a full account of Cooper’s literary career, but there is mingled with this a sufficient account of the man himself apart from his books, and of the period in which he lived, to keep alive the interest from the first word to the last.—New York Evening Post.

“MARGARET FULLER OSSOLI.”

Here at last we have a biography of one of the noblest and the most intellectual of American women, which does full justice to its subject. The author has had ample material for his work,—all the material now available, perhaps,—and has shown the skill of a master in his use of it.… It is a fresh view of the subject, and adds important information to that already given to the public.—Rev. Dr. F. H. Hedge, in Boston Advertiser.

He has filled a gap in our literary history with excellent taste, with sound judgment, and with that literary skill which is preËminently his own.—Christian Union (New York).

Mr. Higginson writes with both enthusiasm and sympathy, and makes a volume of surpassing interest.—Commercial Advertiser (New York).

“RALPH WALDO EMERSON.”

Dr. Holmes has written one of the most delightful biographies that has ever appeared. Every page sparkles with genius. His criticisms are trenchant, his analysis clear, his sense of proportion delicate, and his sympathies broad and deep.—Philadelphia Press.

A biography of Emerson by Holmes is a real event in American Literature.—Standard (Chicago).

“EDGAR ALLAN POE.”

Mr. Woodberry has contrived with vast labor to construct what must hereafter be called the authoritative biography of Poe, a biography which corrects all others, supplements all others, and supersedes all others.—The Critic (New York).

The best life of Poe that has yet been written, and no better one is likely to be written hereafter. This is high praise, but it is deserved. Mr. Woodberry has spared no pains in exploring sources of information; he has shown rare judgment and discretion in the interpretation of what he has found.—Commercial Advertiser (New York).

“NATHANIEL PARKER WILLIS.”

Prof. Beers has done his work sympathetically yet candidly and fairly and in a philosophic manner, indicating the status occupied by Willis in the republic of letters, and sketching graphically his literary environment and the main springs of his success. It is one of the best books of an excellent series.—Buffalo Times.

“BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.”

One of the most interesting and instructive volumes of the series, overflowing with instructive matter concerning the Bostonian whose name is so closely identified with the history of Philadelphia, and, indeed, with that of the whole country as it existed in his day. The pictures which are given of the momentous period in which he lived are full of vigor, and betray an astonishing amount of research in many directions. The simplicity of style and the critical ability so abundantly displayed make the work very fascinating reading throughout. The estimate of Franklin’s character, ability, and attainments is a very just one.—Boston Gazette.