The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-03-06

Letter from Washington Irving.
The following pleasant letter Of reminiscence Is
published in the Kindphook Sentinel, which paper
introduces ii as follows
"We have been favored with the perusal of a let.
ter recently written by Washington Irving to his
old friend Jesse Merwin, of this town-thc vcrita-
BILE sIchabod Crane, whose name has been imIior-
taIized in The Legend Of the Sleep Hollow Hav-
ing been kindly permitted to transfer this commu-
nication 10 our columns we cheerfully do SO, I'M
willing that our readers should be deprived OF the
qualification which have derived from its peru
sal We trust that shall not incur the displeasure
Of the distinguished writer in thus bringing him
before the public, be considered as trespassing
upon the precincts of unreserved private epistolary
intercourse. As for the old Admiral OF the Lake.
of opiscatory memory, the redoubtable John
Moore we have no fears to entertain for the
ton made of him, he having long since 'shuffled
off this mortal COLL and his sceptre having passed
into other hands
SUNNY SIDE, Feb, IL, 1851.
You must excuse me, my good friend Merwin,
for suffering your letter to remain SO long unan-
swered. You can have idea how many letters
have to answer, beside tagging with my pen at
my own literary tasks, 30 that It is impossible for
me to avoid being behind hand in my correspond
ence. Your letter indeed most welcome--call-
ing up il did the recollection OF pleasant scenes
and pleasant days passed together in times long
since at Judge Van Ness's, in Kinderhook Your
mention of the death of good old Dominic Van
Ness recalls the apostolic zeal with which he took
our little sinful community in hands, when he put
up Tor u day or Two al inc JuuBcs, anu VIC WnOic-
some castigation he gave all one Sunday, be-
ginning with the two country bellies who came hut-
tering into the schoolhouse during the sermon,
decked out in their city fnery, and ending with the
Judge himself in the stronghold of his own man
sion. How soundly he gave il to US how he peeled
off every rag Of self Righteousness with which we
tried to cover ourselves, and laid the rod on the
bare bac ks Of our consciences! The good, plain
spoken, honest old man! How ! honorsd him for
his simple, STRAIGHTFORWARD earnestness; his home
ly sincerity He certainly handled us without
mittens; but ! trust we are all the better for T.
sufficient little apostle who cnntered up to the
Judges door day or two after; who was 90 full Of
himself tina. he had thought to bestow on our re-
his public trials of skill in argument with rival
preachers of other denominations, and how he had
driven them off the field and crowed over them
You must remember the busting, self confident
little man, with tin trumpet in the handle Of his
riding whip, with which presume he blew the
Do you remember our fishing expedition in com
pany with Congressman Van Allen to the little
lake few miles from Kinderhook; and John Moore,
the vngabond admiral of the lake, who sat crouched
in heap in the middle Of his canoe in the centre of
the lake. with fishing rods stretching out in every
direction, like tho long legs of SPIDER And do
YOU remember our piratioal prank, when we made
up for our bad luck in fishing by plundering his
canoe of its fish when we found it adrift? And do
you remember how John Moore came splashng
along the marsh the opposite border of the lake.
roaring at US, and how we finished our frolic by
driving off and leaving the Congressman to John
Moore's mercy, tickling ourselves with the idea of
his being scalpcd at least?
All, WELT day, friend Merwin, these were the
days of our youth and folly. trust we have grown
wiser and better since then; we certainly have
grown older. ! don't think could rob John
Moore's fishing canoe now BY the way. that same
John Moore, and the anecdotes you told of him.
gave me the idea Of vagabond character, Dirck
Schuyler, in my Knickerbocker history Of New
York, whish was then writing.
You tell me the old schoolhouse is torn down and
q now one built in its place. am sorry for it. ]
should have liked TO see the old schoolhouse once
more, where. after my mornings literary task was
over. used to come and wait for you occasionally
until school was dismissed, and you used to pro-
mise to keep back the punishment of some little
tough, broad bottomed Dutch boy, until should
come for my amusement but never kept your pro
mise l don't think should look with friendly
eye ON the new schoolhousc, however nice it might
be.
Since saw you in Now York have had severe
attacks of bilious intermittent fever. which shook
me terribly; but they cleared out my system, and
have ever since been in my usual excellent health
able to mount my horse and gallop about the coun-
try almost AZ briskly a. when was youngstcr
Wishing you the enjoyment Of the same incstma
BILE blessing, and begging you to remember me to
your daughter, who penned your letter, and to
your son, whom out Of old kindness and compan-
ionshp you have named after me, l remain ever,
my old friend,
Yours, very truly and cordially,
WASHINGTON IRVING.
Iruc