the material for this book was delivered as the e. t. earl lectures for 1912 at the pacific theological seminary, berkeley, california, and i wish to take this opportunity to express to the president and faculty of that institution my appreciation of their generous hospitality.

the lectures were also given at the lowell institute, boston, the brooklyn institute, and elsewhere, under the title "american traits in american literature." in revising them for publication a briefer title has seemed desirable, and i have therefore availed myself of jefferson's phrase "the american mind," as suggesting, more accurately perhaps than the original title, the real theme of discussion.

b. p.

cambridge, 1912.