Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-04-05
WASHINGTON IRVING TO IcHABoD CRANE.


The Kinderhook Sentinel publishes the follow.
ing letter of WASHINGTON IRVING, written 10 his
friend, JESSE MERwIN, of that town. the original
"Ichabod Crane," of the" Sleepy Hollow" legend:
SUNNY SIDs, FEBHUARY IL, 1851.
You me, my good friend Mewin for suffer-
ing your letter remain long unanswered You can
have idea how many letters have to answer besides fag-
gng with my pen at my own literary tasks, so that Il is inn
possible for me to avoid being behndhand in my coespon-
dence. Your letter indeed welcome up,
as did, the recollection of pleasant and pleasant days
passed together in times long snce at Judge Van Ness in
Kinderhook Your mention of the death of good old Dom
ME Van Ness recalls the apostolic zeal with which he took
little sinful community in hand, when be put up for
day two at the Judges and the wholesome castgaton
he gave all Sunday, beginning with the two country
bellies who futterng into the schoolhouse during the
sermon decked in their city nery and ending with the
Judge bissf in the stronghold Of his mansion. How
roundy he gave to us how be peeled of rag Of self
righteousness with which tried ourselves and laid
the rod the bare backs Of conscences The good
plain spoken honest old man How honored him for his
simple straightforward his homely sincerity
He certainly handled without mttens but trust
all the better for it, How different he from the brisk
dapper, sefsucient little apostle who cantered up to the
Judges door day two after; who full Of himself
that he had thought to besow religious denquen
cies who did nothing but boast Of his public trials Of skill in
argument with rival preachers Of other denominations and
how he had driven them of the field and crowed them.
You must remember the busing selfcon6dent little man.
Win trumpet IN the nanuie OF fluing Wnips
which presume he blew the trumpet in Zion
Do you remember our fishing expedition in company with
Congressman Van Allen to the little lakes few miles from
Kindehook and John Moore the vagabond admiral of the
lake. who crouched in heap in the middle of his
in the Of the lake. with fishing rods stretching out in
every direction like the long legs Of SPIDER And do yos
remember piraca prank when made up for bad
luck in fishing by punderng bis Of its fish when
found it adih And do you remember how John Moore
came spashng along the marsh the opposite border Of
the lake, roaring at and how finished froic by
driving of and leaving the Congressman John Moores
mercy, tickling ourselves with the idea Of his being scaped
at least
Alb wea-day, friend Merwin these the days Of our
youth and folly trust have grown wiser and better
since then we certainly have grown older. don't think
could rob John Moores fishing By the way,
that same John Mooe and the anecdotes you told of him,
gave the idea of vagabond character Drck Schuyler
in my Knickerbocker History Of New York, which
then writing.
You tell me the old school house is torn down. and new
one built in ts place. am sorry for it, Ishould have liked
to see The old schoohouse more where after my
ngs literary task over used and wait for you
occasionally until school dismissed and you used to pro-
mise to keep back the punishment of ittle tough,
broad-bottomcd Dutch boy, until should come for my
amusement but never kept your promise don't think
should look with friendly eye on the new schoohouse,
however nice il might be.
Since saw you in New York, have had attacks
Of bilious intermittent fever, which shook terribly but
they cleared out my SYSTEM and have since been in
my usual excellent health able mount my horse and gall
lop about the country almost brisky when was
youngster Wishing the enjoyment Of the inesti
mabe blessing and begging you to remember me to your
Of kindness and companionshp you have named after me-
remain ever my old friend truly and cordially
WASHINGTON IRVING.
JESSE MERwIS, Esq.