For those who don't mind reading PDF files, Brown can also be downloaded for free from http://books.google.com . Jon is right to note that Brown's scholarship must be treated with great care to say the least, and _First Republic_ is the prime example. It is as much, if not more, a polemic, than a work of history. Peter Peter V. Bergstrom, PhD Independent historian, PC Services Consultant & Web Designer 336-286-8654 [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Randy Cabell Sent: 24 July 2007 9:03 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: The First Republic in America In cleaning out my files yesterday, I came across a small pamphlet by Alexander Brown from 1898 called "The History of our Earliest History." It was interesting in itself, but of most interest to me was review of a book that he published the 1st and 2nd editions in 1898, "The First Republic in America." The phrase that grabbed my attention said: "An account of the Origin of this Nation, written from the Records then (1624) concealed by the Council, rather than from the histories then licensed by the Crown." That's strong stuff. Has anybody ever heard of the book? Is there a grain or two of truth in that above statement, or is it mainly pre- Madison-Avenue hype? Randy Cabell