This being the middle volume of a series dealing with the older towns along, or near, the Eastern coast, it is hoped that the title Historic Towns of the Middle States will seem not inappropriate.

The plan which underlay the making of the first volume, Historic Towns of New England, has in the main been followed. Each author has invariably been chosen because of unique fitness for his special task. The editor believes that in every case the enthusiasm of the native or the resident will be found wedded to the perspective of the litterateur or scholar. No effort has been made to harmonize divergencies in style or judgment, for obvious reasons. The success of the first volume has set the stamp of approval on the method of the series, and the editor is glad to announce that a volume on the Southern towns will shortly follow this.

The chapter on Princeton first served as an address in 1894 before the Historical Pilgrims on the last day of their Pilgrimage, which is described in Historic Towns of New England, pp. iii.-v.