At its annual meeting in December, 1902, the American Historical
Association approved and adopted the plan of the present series, and the
undersigned was chosen as its general editor. The purpose of the series
was to provide individual readers of history, and the libraries of
schools and colleges, with a comprehensive and well-rounded collection of
those classical narratives on which the early history of the United
States is founded, or of those narratives which, if not precisely
classical, hold the most important place as sources of American history
anterior to 1700. The reasons for undertaking such a project are for the
most part obvious. No modern history, however excellent, can give the
reader all that he can get from the _ipsissima verba_ of the first
narrators, Argonauts or eyewitnesses, vivacious explorers or captains
courageous. There are many cases in which secondary narrators have quite
hidden from view these first authorities, whom it is therefore a duty to
restore to their rightful position. In a still greater number of
instances, the primitive narrations have become so scarce and expensive
that no ordinary library can hope to possess anything like a complete set
of the classics of early American history.
The series is to consist of such volumes as will illustrate the early
history of all the chief parts of the country, with an additional volume
of general index. The plan contemplates, not a body of extracts, but in
general the publication or republication of whole works or distinct parts
of works. In the case of narratives originally issued in some other
language than English, the best available translations will be used, or
fresh versions made. In a few instances, important narratives hitherto
unprinted will be inserted. The English texts will be taken from the
earliest editions, or those having the highest historical value, and will
be reproduced with literal exactness. The maps will be such as will give
real help toward understanding the events narrated in the volume. The
special editors of the individual works will supply introductions,
setting forth briefly the author's career and opportunities, when known,
the status of the work in the literature of American history, and its
value as a source, and indicating previous editions; and they will
furnish such annotations, scholarly but simple, as will enable the
intelligent reader to understand and to estimate rightly the statements
of the text. The effort has been made to secure for each text the most
competent editor.
The results of all these endeavors will be laid before the public in the
confident hope that they will be widely useful in making more real and
more vivid the apprehension of early American history. The general editor
would not have undertaken the serious labors of preparation and
supervision if he had not felt sure that it was a genuine benefit to
American historical knowledge and American patriotism to make accessible,
in one collection, so large a body of pioneer narrative. No subsequent
sources can have quite the intellectual interest, none quite the
sentimental value, which attaches to these early narrations, springing
direct from the brains and hearts of the nation's founders.
_Sacra recognosces annalibus eruta priscis._