might be, that the history of America as told by her poets should
be set forth. Here and there occur breaks in the story, chiefly
because there are fit incidents for song which no poet has fitly
sung as yet.

The poems have been printed scrupulously from the best accessible
text, and they have not been tinkered in any way, though some few
have been curtailed slightly for the sake of space. In a few cases,
where the whole poem has not fallen within the scope of this
volume, only a fragment is here given. When this has been done, it
is pointed out. Brief notes have been prefixed to many of the
poems, making plain the occasion of their origin, and removing any
chance obscurity of allusion.

NEW YORK, November, 1882.

In the two score years since this collection was prepared many
things have happened, and many poets have been in-spired to
celebrate men and moods and deeds. It has been found necessary to
omit a few of the less important verses in the earlier edition to
make room for the most significant of the lyric commemorations of
events almost contemporary, and therefore appealing to us more
immediately, and perhaps more poignantly.

B. M.

July 4, 1922.