The native American., 1838-12-15
From he Philadelphia CbmmercirL Herald.
WASHINGTON IRVING.


thourh every BODY is familiar with our distinguish.
ed countryman, few indeed, comparatively speak
ing, are probably acquain ed with the origin and
powers of the first prose writer OF the age In the
Hast number of the American Museum is an inte-
resting memoir which we avail ourselves of in
|preparing the brief outlina that follows.
Washington Il img's father was Scottish mer-
chant Of our sister city, New York Washington
was born in that city, in 1882. lie was the
Youngest son, and his worthy parent having died
while he was in tender years, his fond mother
and excellent brothers bestowed upon him the
kndest attention His brothers were men of cul-
tvated minds, and early encouraged the love of
composition in their youngest brother. DIR. r.
Irving was the editor Of paper called The
Morning Chronice,'' and at the age of seventeen,
Washington brought firth essays in his columns,
entitled tho 'sLctters Of jonathan Old Style"
which displayed, ''in opening beauty, some ot
the peculiaries Of the matured author in his sub
sequent works. .0 lss
| He. was at length entered at Columbia College,
and his collegiate course was distinguished by
close application; though abroad he was regarded
as one OF the most sportve students OF his Alma
Mater.
| Subsequently he commenced the study of the
law, which proving uncongenial to his feelings and
prejud,cal to his health, he embarked for Europe
| in 1905, s.to crafty his anxious desire to visit
foreign countries, and landed on the coast OF scI-
Iy, near the city of Agrigentum." He passed two
years in examining whatever might attract the no.
tice of the scholar and antiquarian, and returned
home to resume and complete his legal studies,
but his Gifilcnce caused his abandonment Of a
profession uncongenial to all the feelings Of his
nature. During this period it was that he Joined
Paulding, Verplanck and others, in producing the
| ..S,almacundi'' a satire oi the times, which all
readers of racy wit are undoubtedly familiar with
Three years afterWard, ingenious advertisements
stimulated the public mind to look with anxiety
for veritable history Of Gotham, developing the
peculiarities of the men, manners am! habits OF
the ancient settlers. Many commenced the read
ing of .'Deidrich'' under that belief, which the
solemnity of the introduction was we'll calculated
to encourage. Il was the best exhibiUul! 81 the
varied sa,ircal powers Of the author, "trun the
grave iionical to the piqnant caustIc-the delicate
witty, and the broad ludicrous," suggested, it is
! believed, by the pompous annuncatlon OF an as
| tute member of the Historical Society, that he
was compiling history of New York.
About this period he was admitted into the com
mercial house of his brother, and when the war of
Great Britain interrupted the operations Of the
house, he was received into the army as mem
Der of the Governors staff but after the war, re-
suming his mercantile connection, he went to re-
side at Birmingham as the foreign correspondent
Of the house. The commercial embarrassments
which followed the war, caused Prostration of
the house, and he was once more thrown upon
! his mental efforts.
The ..t5ketch Book was the result of the stu
DIV which he made during his residence abroad,
Of the scenery, places, men, manners, literature,
1 II VUri, q
master-spirit, recording whatever would strike an
obscrvant eye and most enthusiastic and lucid
mind. It won the most unbounded admiration in
both England and America, and we may say made
the fortune Of our great countryman abroad, Tor
| from that time his writings sought with q
greater avidity there than they ever were i'll ''hs
own, his native land"
''The Tales of Traveller and 'Bracebrdge
Hail. followed during the next four years; but
the next work was entirely different, the basis OF
which was suggested by Alexander Everett, who
was in 1926 Minister Plenpotentiary at the Court
of Madrid. It was his great work, "The History
of Columbus an original history of the life and
voyage Of the great mariner. ''The Conquest OF
Grenada followed in 1923, the materials for
which were obtained when he made his investl-
cations for the life of Columbus. In 1872,
'.The Adventures Of the Companions Of Colum-
bus and '''The Alhambra,'' succeeded rich
in historical interest. 1.-The Tour of the Prai-
ries," after personal excursion of the author
through the wilds ofthe West, came forth in 1885,
and the same year were produced ''Abbotsford
and Newstead Abbey" and "a Legend Of the
Conquest OF Spain" .....
In 1886, astoria was published, "being a
description Of the settlement of that name" COM
menced by Mr.. Astor, sat the mouth of the CO.
lumbia river, and the surrounding transmontane
regions in all their freshness and widncss of
beauty"
's'The Rocky Mountains, = last year given to the
world, completes the list Of our authors works
a book, which, like "Astorla' and ''f'hc Tour
on the Prairies," gives the most vivid sketches of
the legends and the peculiarites OF the untutored
men Of the forest and OF the ''grand features of
nature in that picturesque region"
1t is unnecessary to say in conclusion, TO this
very hasty synopsis, that Washington Irving, both
at home and abroad, isiustly regarded as the most
popular prose writer of America, and we think we
may not be thought sing'larin our opinion, If we
say he will be ultimately looked upon as the
most clear, seneniious, and pleasing writer
take him all in all-that the world has ever had.
Shocking OccurrcncP.-On Friday, a small
I II ~