M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1859-12-22
Deaih Of washington Irving.

numbered among the dead. The ven
cradle Humboldt did not long survive
them; the unsurpassed geographer
Ritter, soon followed his master; Ste
} phenson and Brunei, famous in me
chauical art, have left the scene o
their earthly triumphs, and nearly I
score Of other only less famous name,
have found place in the necfolOgies
To the list of the departed, mus
lnowbe added Washington Irving, tht
fpatriafch Of American Literature, ,wh(
for more than half a century has
been the pride ofour country, and has
for nearly that space, enjoyed a repu
tation cqnaled by few, in his peculiar
departments, in the estimation OF Eu
ropeans.
The telegraph briefly announces tha
Mr.. living died on Monday, at hi,
villa Of Sunnyside, in lrvington, OIL
the Hudson At the time of his de,
cease he had reached the age of almost
seventy.seycn, having been born on
the third Of April, 1893, in tho city OF
New York. Ills father was a native
of Great Britain, but had settled in
the place of his sons birth, where he
was a reputable merchant.
Young Irving, without the usual
preliminary Of college education, com.
Imenced the study of law at sixteen,
but was forced to abandon it through
i'll health, and on his return from a
European tourin 1906, resumed it on.
Iy to obtain admission into the bar.
lis first appearance as an author,
was in the Sa'naag"mdj papers, which
were issued in 1907, and a few Of the
following years, 10y a literary partner
ship, the principal members of which
were j. X. PauIding, Mr.. Irving and
his brother William, long since dead
The collection, famous IN its day for
its renehant humor and keen satire
Of prevalent follies is now found in
Harper'S edition Of Paulding's works,
Mr.. Irving having abandoned all
claim to his share in its production.
KniclabOcfer's New York, which
was published in the latter part of
1908, gained its author nearly as
much ilI.will as reputation. The de.
Scendants of the Dutch colonists did
not relish its wit, bnt as they were
alone in their blipdness, the book was
q success.
At the close Of the war Of 1912, Irv-
ing revisited Europe, remaining alb
sent until 1882. During this pro.
tracted stay, many yof his most brilliant
works appeared. lie has himself in.
formed the public how the hard hearts
Of the London publishers were soften
ed by the interference Of Sir Walter
Scott The She:ch-B0oh was first
given forth, to be succeeded at short
by BrdcebHdye Halt, Tales
g@ TrareIer, Tile Life Of Columbus,
ChrOnicles Of the Conquest of Gren-
aaa and the Alahambra. His pop,
uIarity was now even greater, if pos
sible, in England, than in his native
land. Oxford conferred upon him the
degree OF l.. l.. d., one ofthe twenty
guinea medals OF George w, for his
-orical excellence, was awarded him;
while on the continent translations of
his writings were everywhere to be
ound. The Government of the Uni
ed States recognized his merit by ap.
pointing him Secretary to the Amer.
can Legation at London.
On his return to New York, he was
received with the utmost enthusiasm.
All classes united to do him honor
His journey to the West in the follow
ng summer, gave him the material
or his interesting Tomr Of the Praj.
'ieS;; AbbOtg0rd, s.Ne,Cstead Abbey,
Legends gf tile Conquest Of Spain,
md the Adceatures Of capt. BOnne,
vile, were his next publications. -
About this time, also, he contributed
argely to the Rn,eherbocker Maya
zine. Iiaving been appointed Minis
er to the Court of Madrid in 1S43,
his official position and four years res.
idence there, gave him unequaled ia
,ilities for the study of Spanish His.
.ory, the subject which has called forth
so many Of his finest productions. On
his return, the revised editions of his
works appeared, and The Liyes of
MdhOmet and has Successors, and Of
Goldsmith, were added to their mum.
Der.
For many years Mr.. Irving had de.
sired to write the biography of the
Father of his Country, and several
lines had commenced the desired, but
still dreaded task. Again and again
pages were written only to be destroy
I'd. At last, however the Life Of
reached the eyes of the
public, and will ever remain a noble
:ribute to its subjects and authors
-..s.T Il,
Mr.. Irving was one Of the kindest
md least selfish ofmen. A bachelor,