The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-02-17
Washin gton Irving In ENGLAND.

Washington Irving in England.
Mr.. Cyrus ReddiLs, SO .ong associated
with the poet CsupbeII in the edi'orshp
of the New Mon hIy, has just published
in London three Volumes Of Fifty Years
"reminiscences Of Contemporaries, from
which we take the following:
Washington Irving, now, think, sew
enty four or seventy five years old, was in
England. An acquaintance with the au.
thor of Knicker.lock and Salmaguudi
could not but be agreeable. forgot to
whom | WAS indebted for the introduction
but | used to meet him frequently, As we'll
as tHe american Minister Dr. McLans.
There was pleasant breakfast gwen at
Campbeil's one sunday, when was pres.
eut Irving m,re than commonly serious
and seda,e, gentlemanly aud mild in IN an
ner, gave no idea, either in person or con-
versauon, Of y writer Of WORKS Of humor.
| mean not the humor that is at present
IN fashion, consisting Of a bad pun or
SOM llght sentence with point some
tihes blunt Ell ough, or perhaps some ri.
drcn'ous image, bat that real wi, in which
sidney Smith eAcelleI, and which runs
through whole work, pervadiug every
line. lie was somewhat taciturn. At
evening parties, or after uinDer, when the
vine circulated freely, lever heard a
jest from ais lips. lie was made lion
g a. times by some who looked a; a re.
PUBLICAN as a creature that had come into
he world among the superfui,ies Of mar
ta!iuea. bis sketches Of scenes remarka.
by in English history, his pictures of the
manners OF the old country, and not
slngIe censufe cast on tie mad monarch
who separated tie English family forever.
made him tolerated Ly the exclusively
loyal, with "who would think it r.
When my friend Andrews was in Tacu
nan, where an ,Englishman had never
- SS'V'S, 49, - -. Isu
g!isn had tails-a notion once inculca ted
10y the Spanish fddres TO make the Pro.
tesiants disliked. SO fiery son Of er
elusive loyalty once looked upon repub.
Iican. lie did not give him tail, indeed,
but though him Jacobin--a being much
worse than iusus nature with such an
appcnGage.
"Ir,Ng told me that he was much
LEASED with spain, Were bo wro,e bls
Ia.cs O! 'he Alhamora. lie had found
the common people and peassntry a well
disp, sed, sin,, ,ie-Ianded race. He had
wed, he said, some months in The Al.
hambra, with only an o.d woman for an
attendant, anil could beAr witness to MANY
virtues III the humber classes which could
h,t be said TO belong to their superiors.
| have an idea that lie C.mposed his lit
erary works with ing care and great
sIpwness. lie has since retired TO q vita
on the shores Of the hudson, 10 that
State, where peace and quiet love to
dwell, so desircOle IN age, that kind OF
retreat from care which Goldsmith la
mented never could be h;s-may he con
tlnue tong to enjoy it. The lasl time
saw Irving, # | reco!ect rightly, WAS re,
m"rkabIe for the presence in the party Of
Mrs. Sddons; Campbell and Lockhart,
too, were of the number. What havoc
death has made since While Irving,
soothing the descent Of existence with
the hest Of comfrhers, his books, leads
the life OF Philosopher He has sesn
enough Of the world to know is value, a
thing seldom known until we learn, too
late, tho dear price Of lhe time we have
wasted in pursuing its frivolites, and
over-estirnaling its worthlesness. Irving
cannot but be happy to have escaped
from the intr gues of state affairs, md the
class OF those whose polished manners
only add a grace to the unseemIiness Of
! convenience. There %as nothing striking
in the physognomy Of Irving 1t was
reflective in expression. His stature was
about the middle heigh. be WAS sallow
Of complexion, with dark eyes, while his
countensnce impres sed the observer rath-
er with amiability than intellectual pow
er. America may well be proud OF him,
as she justly Is Of her Bryant and Chan
ming, amidst the crowd OF upstairs WI ON
cupidity stamps With a surreptitious re-.
nown OH both sides Of The Atlantic"
REMARKABLE u oRKs OF HUMAN La