Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-05-14
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Washington Irving.

We regard him as an extraordinary and ad-
mirable artist, standing quite alone among his
countrymen not likely ever to be neglected, or
ever to be rivalled. OF the genius of his PEN
eilwe shall speak hereafter, but looking at
present only at the style and manner of his
works, we find grace as inherent as that OF
childhood gentle gayety, as variable, yet as
untalling and as unfatiguing as the breeze of
June an indestructible presence Of good taste,
simplicity. and ease--qualities which, in their
separate conception, seem to be slight, yet, in
their conjoint effect, are the splendor Of fame
lasnd the pewer Of immortality What gsaiIsss
ssio mcric .noIt sing, g,fiar IL irving is, Gfat 4c-
cessful and inimitable as the charm is, it rob-
viously not spontaneous or unconscious. In
strenuous simplicity he almost equals the poet
whose stream of verse reflects forever the dewy
luslre of the morning of English civility but
what in the Pilgrim Of Canterburys scenes is
the natural dazzle of the hour, is, in Irving,
clearly the noon-day elaboration of profound
and much-taught science. Such composition
Is. In great degree, process of rejection-a
labor of excision and exclusion in which, how
ever, excess is fatal ; and the full genius and
true art of Irving can never be properly UNDER
Stood until we can see the weddings of the ex-
quslte violet banks on which he gives US repose
and be intoxicated with purity of sensual bliss,
or can analyze the lees of his cup of enchant.
ment, which alone would disclose how composite
is the formation of that liquor which, in its
final dstilation, is as clear and natural as the
crystal gushings of the rock. The I" mile de.
center," which can only be seen in the general
effect, are of infinitely greater value than the
"m'Ae orndtus," which the eye recognizes and
registers.
The prominent faculties in Mr.. Irvings gen
ius are Observation and Fancy. When they
act in conjunction-when quick and lambent
Fancy touches with its quaint, kindling ray the
6ne particular truths which Observation has,
noted-we have the brightest and most charac-
teristic exhibition of his powers
s The minute delicacy of his observation of
: outward life is remarkable. The eye has been
= to him potent instrument of literary fame !;
is it has played the part of a tireless cleaner in
:, the fields of life bringing in snatches of beauty
IS and grace. trivial of themselves, but invaluable
3 in their disposed and aggregatee effect Mr..
e Irving has obviously been through life, quiet,
y yet busy watcher of the shapes, and colors the
is changes of the landscape, the figures of trees,
l. the forms, motions, and habits of birds, the
A. looks and ways of animals, the appearance and
L. physical Pecaliar;ties of man. So exact and
special, in many instances, are the lines of des-
y crption, that we cannot but suppose that thas
r. been his custom, in viewing objects, to make
W notes upon the spot, or Immediately after, so
IS, as to preserve the precise pecularties of thing
n which were afterwards to be worked up in
ut sketches. As the subjects of the exercise OIL
he this faculty in him, however, are usually famil
of lar or domestic, and, therefore, not especially
de dgnifed, the traits of observation are mostly
he hued by humor or heightened by sentiment, OF
er or grouped in some inventive combination
en- and we meet few examples of incidents Or scene
he in nature, rendered with simple accuracy, a.
n by historical portraiture of a real occurrence
n Yet some such may be found, which challeng
he comparison with anything in literature, ant
95 which place the author in the highest class o
he faithful copyists of nature in her nobest sim
nd plicties, and of art in its most gorgeous com
I'M plexity.