Delaware journal., 1828-03-14
WASHINGTON IRvING's NEW WORK.

view contains notice of Irving's Life Of Columbus,
from which we copy the following:
Hitherto we have been accustomed to regard r.
wing wholly as voyager in the world of felton, In
the work before US, he presents himself in the new
light of the grave historian perhaps the most men,
orable event in the annals Of the world that by
which an entire hemisphere was opened to the
view of the nations of the ancient continent. An
event. whose important consequences are yet but
partially developed, in doubling the extent of civil
lied society, in preparing an asylum for liberal
principles of government, and in opening the way
for the prevalence Of religious system, which how
ever varied in sect, and diversified in doctrine, rests
on the foundation of universal toleration and un-
limited charity If, in assuming the character of
the historian, Irving may have given up many advan-
tages, such as his brilliant and inventive imagna-
ton, his powers of description and intense sense of
natural beauty, and still more his vein of delicate,
yet keen-edged humor ; attributes which have rem
dered his former works so fancinatng; still he may
find compensation in the overpowering interest Of
his subject, while the graces of his chaste and sim
pie, yet polished dictlon, remain to attract and de-
light his readers The circumstances Of the times,
the brilliancy of the event. the difficulties overcome,
the enthusiasm and chivalry Of his hero, throw
around his work the charms of fictitious narrative
while the dignity and Importance Of the discovery
he celebrates, will place his work among the most
important of histories. Our author, in his prelace,
briefly states the origin Of his undertaking. We
should do injustice, were we to give it in any Ian
guage but his own:
.sBeing at Bordeaux, in the winter of 1885,
| received letter from Mr.. Alexander Everett,
minister plenipotentiary of the United States at
Madrid, informing me of work then in the press,
edited by Don Martin Fernandez de Navarcte, Sec
retary Of the Royal Academy Of History. &c. con-
tanning a collection Of documents relating to the
voyages of Columbus; among which were many OF
highly important nature, recently discovered Mr.
Everett, at the same time, expressed an opinion,
that version of the work into English, by one of
our own countrymen, would be peculiarly desirable.
concurred with him in the opinion, and having for
some time contemplated visit to Madrid, short
y after set off for that capital, with idea of un-
dertaking while there, the translation Of the work
Soon after my arrival, the publication OF Mr..
Navarrete made his appearance found it to con-
tain many documents hitherto unknown, which threw
additional lights on the discovery of the world,
and which reflected great credit on the exertons of
the learned editor. Still the whole presented ra-
ther mass of rich materials for history than his
tory ITSELF These precious treats for the
man of research but the sight Of disointed papers
and official documents lis apt to be repulsive to the
general reader, who seeks for clear and connected
narrative. The circumstances made me hesitate in
my proposed undertaking yet the subject was Of SC
interesting and national kind, that could not will
lingly abandon it.
On considering the matter more maturely, per
ceived, that although there were many books in va
rious languages, relative to Columbus, they con
tanned limited and imperfect accounts of his life
II voyage while numerous valuable traits existed on
ly in manuscript, in the form Of letters journal
and public acts. 1t appeared to me, that histor
faithfully digested from the various materials, was
e desderatum in literature, and would be more sa
N t,sactory occupation to myself, and more accepta
of bic work to my country than the translation cor
IN templated."
se In the prosecution of the work, upon the plan i
thus discloses, he received many and important Fl
ciiities, for which, in the remainder of his pretac
he tenders due an adequate acknowledgment
The rich and valuable collection Of the Amercs
: Consul, in whose house he became inmate, w
ds hourly open to him the Royal Library, and that
the Jesuits' College of San Isdoro he found Of
lst dy access from Don Martin de Navarrete, he r
of ceived every possible aid !; and the Duke de Yer
he guas the descendent and representative OF Coul
as bus, submitted the archives of the family to /
I'd inspection.
Furnished with such ample sources ofinformato
our author has employed them to the best advantas
in developing the early habits and education of
hero by which he was trained for his enterprise,
ap. that mixture of the highest knowledge of his ag
ply both practical and theorecc, with the enthusias
j. of crusader the patience and humility OF marty
1t is, in this respect that the work before us is
and most interesting. Other writers have record
the bare facts of the voyages Of Columbus, the glo
- that seemed to repay his success, and the severe
et verses he experienced from the ascendancy Of
1G and malignity In that of Irving, we have seen
'ns the first time fully illustrated, his extensive lear
all ing, his patient devotion under delay and suerir
sustained by the hope of extending the dominions
.E the cross to regions of pagauism and darkness;
holy, even if mistaken zeal, with which he prop
- ed to dedicate the hard earned profits of his succe
not to his own personal ease the establishment
el of his family but to the recovery of the sepulche