Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/244

204 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS work in the Princeton Library was back on the campus of his Alma Mater as a member of the faculty. His lectures sprang into popularity here as well as with his earlier professorships. Prince ton had never in all its brilliant history had a teacher who so captivated his classes. Upwards of four hundred students in all were in attendance, absorbing his carefully ascertained and impress ively presented facts of history, or fascinated by his original views of current events. His teaching was enlightened by sprightly humor. He spoke with the greatest freedom, often with utter aban don, concerning modern events and those con cerned in them, putting the students on their honor not to report him and none of them ever violated his confidences. Twelve years went by. It was a period of de velopment with Woodrow Wilson. His mind mel lowed. There was a ripening into maturity. As he continued his studies along the line of his bent a number of new books came from his pen. They were: "The State," "Division and Reunion," "An Old Master," "Mere Literature" and "George Washington." Later still appeared his masterly "History of the American People." As he com pared the conditions of government in this day with the ideals of government set up by the fathers of the Republic, and as he noted points of failure