From the author's preface when the book was originally published in 1887: Notwithstanding the great popular interest attaching to the name of Patrick Henry, he has hitherto been the subject of but one memoir founded on original investigation, and that, of course, is the Life by William Wirt.When it is considered, however, that Wirt's book was finished as long ago as the year 1817 ---before the time had fairly come for the publication of the correspondence, diaries, personal memoranda, and official records of every sort, illustrating the great period covered by Patrick Henry's career --- it will be easy to infer something as to the quantity and value of those printed materials bearing upon the subject, which are now to be had by us, but which were not within the reach of Wirt.