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388 Reviews of Books they consist of the ambassador's letters to the Secretary of State, Halifax, to his friend George Grenville, to Lady Suffolk and others ; in part of his "Russian Memoranda," disconnected pieces written apparently on his return voyage ; in part of letters, despatches and memoranda written by other diplomats, of which he was furnished with copies. The most important of these last are two memoirs, by Finckenstein and Sir Andrew Mitchell, respectively, written in September 1762, and occupying an important position in the records of the "strained relations" between Lord Bute's government and Frederick the Great. Thorough and ex- cellent annotations help the diplomatic story. Moreover Lord Bucking- hamshire writes well, and shows much that is interesting respecting the court of Catherine in the earlier part of her reign. An appendix con- tains a "systeme" drawn up by Bestushev Rjumin for the Empress Eliz- abeth at the beginning of the year 1744. Adam Duncan, by H. W. Wilson. [The Westminster Biographies.] (Boston, Small, Maynard and Co., pp. xvi, 156.) Mr. Wilson's preface gives his reasons for including in the limited space at his disposal a de- scription of life in the English navy in the latter half of the eighteenth century. Admiral Duncan's conspicuous services to his country were so closely connected with the shortcomings of the naval administration of that period and the embarrassments and dangers that ensued that one cannot truly appreciate his character as man or as commander without a knowledge of the circumstances under which he acted. Mr. Wilson's admirable little biography is its own justification of his method of dealing with his subject. That it should show throughout evidences of careful study and investigation — although especially disclaiming all "pretence at originality " — one would expect. The battle of Camperdown, for ex- ample, is described in detail and with a clearness which must make it in- telligible to the "general reader, for whom the book is primarily written. The tactical peculiarities of the battle' are duly emphasized. The author has carefully e.xamined the available evidence, and has arrived at the conclusion that Duncan did not anticipate Nelson's action at Trafalgar in attempting to destroy the enemy by concentrating the English fleet upon him in detail. Such concentration as took place at Camperdown was the result of accident rather than design. Duncan's inspiration was in deciding to pass through the Dutch line and engage the enemy to leeward, thus cutting off all chance of retreat. A Sui-yey of American History ; Source Extracts, by Howard W. Caldwell, A.M., Professor of American History in the University of Nebraska. Vol. L (Chicago, Ainsworth and Co., pp. 255). For some time past Professor Caldwell has been publishing in a Nebraska educa- tional journal a series of historical studies, intended to aid teachers by presenting for each of several important topics in American history a se- lection of extracts from the original documents and writings, accom- panied with comments and elucidations. Ten of these are now grouped in a volume with the above title. They relate respectively to the found-