BRYCE (Viscoutrr), James, British his torian and diplomat: b. Belfast, 10 May 1838. His father, James Bryce, LL.D., was a Scotch man, well icnown as a distinguished teacher and geologist, and a master in a high school of Glasgow from 1846 to 1874. He received his early education at the high school and Univer sity of Glasgow, and afterward at Trinity Col lege, Oxford, where he was graduated B.A. with a double first-class in 1862, being in the same year elected a fellow of Oriel College. In 1867 he became a barrister of Lincoln's Inn. From 1870 till his resignation in 1893, he was regius professor of civil law at Oxford. He entered Parliament in 1880 as member for the Tower Hamlets division of London, and from 1885 represented South Aberdeen as a Liberal and Home Ruler. He was chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, a member of the cabinet in the Liberal ministry of 1892, and president of the Board of Trade (1894-95). In 1905-06 he was Chief Secretary for Ireland, and from 1907-12 Ambassador to the United States. He
received the degree of D.C.L. of Oxford, LL.D. of Edinburgh and Glasgow; in 1894 was elected a fellow of the Royal Society, and many foreign honors were conferred on him. In 1907 he received the Order of Merit and 1 Jan. 1914 was created Viscount Bryce of Dechmont. His two most important works are 'The Holy Roman Empire' (1864, afterward enlarged and republished) and 'The American Commonwealth' (1888; new ed, revised and enlarged 1910), a very full exposition of the American constitution, system of government, and administration, political machinery, etc. He also wrote and Ararat' (1877); 'Impressions of South Africa' (1897); 'Studies in History and Jurisprudence' (1901) ; 'Studies in Contemporary Biography' (1903); 'South America: Observations and Impres sions' (1912; Sp. trans., (La America del Suet' by Guillermo Riviera, 1913) ; 'University and Historical Addresses' (1913).