It is perhaps needless to say that while Shirley has proved
a very interesting personality he has been of the great-
est service to my work by his connection with so wide a
range of activities and in such significant ways that his
public life included some of the most important phases of
the history of his times.
The period of Shirley's active career covered by this
volume is that from 1 731 to 1749, the first decade spent as
a lawyer and much of it as advocate-general of the court of
▼ice-admiralty for the northern district, land the latef
period as governor of Massachusetts. In each period his



PREFACE 9

activity and influence were much more extensive than the
offices held would suggest.
For my introduction to Shirley I am indebted to the
late Professor Herbert L. Osgood of Coltombia University.
It was also my privilege to collect considerable of my
material in Boston under his general supervision and to sit
at his side in the Public Record Office in London where he
shared with me the use of the fresh proof-sheets of volume
II of Professor Charles M. Andrews' guide to the materials
for American history in that depository. The work of
composition had been begun but had not been carried far
enough to receive the criticism which Professor Osgood was
so richly equipped to give before his last sacrifice on be-
half of historical scholarship had been made.
Professor \A'illiam A. Dunning of Columbia University
has given very valuable assistance and counsel in the prep-
aration of the manuscript for the press. I ami deeply in-
debted to Professor Henry R. Spencer of Ohio State
University for his many very helpful suggestions for the
improvement of the manuscript. Professor Arthur M.
