The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1859-12-02
THE DAY BOOK .
Death of Washington Irving.

most distinguished of the literary men of
America, and whose name and fame is iden-
tilted with the literary reputation of our
country. From information before us we
gather the following interesting outline of
his life and labors
Washington Irving was born in the city
of New York, April 4, 1888, in which place
his father, VIM. Irving, had been settled as a
merchant some twenty years. After receiv
ing an ordinary school education, at the age
of sixteen, he commenced the study of law.
Three years later, he contributed, under the
signature of Johnathan Oldstyle series OF
letters to the s'Morning Chronicle" news
paper of his brother, Peter Irving, was edi-
itor. These Juvenile essays attracted much
notice at the time, were extensively copied
by other journals, and in 1928 or 1924 were
collected and published without the sanction
of the author. In 1904, in conseq uence of
ill health, he sailed for Bordeaux, on visit
to Europe, and travelled through the south of
France to Nice, where he took felucca to
Genoa, in which city he remained some two
months. He then went by sea to Soicily,
made the tour of the island, crossed from
Palermo to Naples, passed through Italy.
meeting Allston at Rome, who strongly rec
commended his devoting himself to art,thence
over the st. Gothard, through Switzerland
to Paris, where he remained several months.
He then went to Holland, whence be en-
barked for England, where he spent part of
the autumn, and returned to New York, in
March, 1906, completely restored to health.
He again resumed the study of the law, and
was admitted to the bar in November of
that year, but never practiced.
Shortly after he took the chief part in
"Salma gundi," the first number of which
appeared in January, 1907, and the last in
January, 1908. In December, the following
year, he published his "knickel bocker's
History of New York" In 1910, two of his
brothers, who were ,engaged in commercial
business, one being at the head of the estab-
lishment in the oity of New York, and the
other in Liverpool, gave him an interest in
the concern, with the understanding that
he was not to enter into the duties and de-
tails of the business, but to pursue his liter
airy avecations. During the war with Great
Britain, in lSl3-'l4 he edited the ''Analectic
Magazine" and in the fall of the latter year
Joined the military staff of the Governor of
the State of New York, as aidecamp and mi
litary secretary, with the rank of colonel.
On the close OF the war, May, 29l5. he en-
barked for Liverpool, with the intention of
making second tour of Europe, but was
prevented by the sudden and great reverses
which followed the return of peace, over
years, in which Mr.. Irving took an active
part to avert the catastrophe, the house in
which his brothers had given him an inter
est, and involving him in its ruin. In 1918
he determined to try his pen as a means of
support, and commenced the papers of the
"Sketch-Book, which were transmitted
piecemeal from London, where he resided, to
New York for publication. Three or four
numbers were thus published, when. finding
that they attracted notice in England he had
them published in volume, February 1920,
by Mr.. John Miller; but he failing shortly
after, the work was transferred to Mr..
Murray, with second volume, published i n
July of that year. Mr.. hurry had bought
the copyright for f200, but its success far
surprising his expectations, he sent Mr.. IT.
wing, of his own accord, first 9l00, and the
sale still increasing, an additional fl00.
After a residence of five years in England,
Mr.. Irving removed to Paris in August,
1920, and remained there till July of the fol,
lowing year, when he returned to England
and published his "Bracebridge Hail." in
following win ter he passed in Dresden, re-
turned to Paris in 1923, and crossed to Lon
don in May, 1924, to publish his "Tales of a
Traveller" which appeared in August of that
year in two volumes, and in four parts in
New York. In August he returned to Paris,
and in the autumn of 1926 visited the south
OF France, spending part OF the winter in
Bordeaux. In February, 1926, he left that
city for Madrid, where he remained two
years. Here he wrote the life of "Colum-
bus" which appeared in 1928. In the spring
of 1928 he left Madrid on tour to the south
ofSpain, visiting Granada and the main
points mentioned in the "Chronicles of the
Conquest of Granada, by Fray Agapida," of
which he had made rough sketch. This
prepared for the press at Seville, and
transmitted to London and New York for
publication it appeared in 1929. In the
spring of this year he again visited Grana-
da, and resided some three months in the AL
hambra, where he collected materials for
the work published under that name in 1882.
In July he went to England, being appoint
ed secretary of legation to the American en-
bassy in London, which office he held until
the return of Mr.. McLane in 1881, when af-
ter remaining a few months as charge, he
resigned on the arrival of Mr.. Van Buren,
While in England, in 1880, Mr.. Irving re-
ceived one of the fifty guinea gold medals,
provided by GeorgelV., for eminence in his
torical composition; the other was awarded
to Mr.. Hallam, the historian. In 1881, the
University of Oxford, England, conferred
on Mr.. Irving the degree of l.. l.. ID. In the
spring of 1882 he returned to New York af-
ter an absence OF seventeen years.
His retunrn was greeted on all hands
with the warmest enthusiasm public din
ner was given to him, at which Chancellor
Kent presided; and similar testimonials were
offered in other cities, but which he declined.
In the summer of this year he accompanied
Mr. Ellsworth, one of the commissioners for
removing the Indian tribes west of the Mis-.
sissippi, and whom he had met on tour to
the West, on his expedition. The most in
teresting portion of this journey has appear:
ed in the "Toul ON the Prairies," published
in 1884. This was followed in the same year
by "Abbotsford and Newstead Abby. and
"Legends of the Conquest of Spain In
1886 he published "Astoria," and in the fol
lowing year he published "Ihe Adventures
of Captain Bonneville" In 1889 he entered
into an engagement which lasted two years
with the proprietors of the "Knickerbocker
Magazine to furnish monthly articles tor
that periodical in February, 1912, he receiv-
~ Mi fah hlaa pipty nn1f