Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-12-16
Gcnerdl 1Htsccllauu.
From the Independent, Nov. "A.
HALE AN HOUR AT SUNNYSIDE.

HALE AN HOUR AT SUNNNSIDE.
VISIT TO WASHINGTON IRVING.
had half an hour one day last week at
Sunnyside-tho residence Of Washington Irv-
ing. Such a half hour ought to have been
one Of the pleasantost in ones life, and so it
was The pleasure began before reaching
the doorstep, or taking the old mans hand
in the thousand associations Of the placc-ior
visit to Sunnyside is equal to a pilgrimage
20 Abbottsford
The quaint grotesque old dwelling, with
It's old-fashionod gables, stood as solemn and
sleepy among the trees as if it had been built
to personate old Rip Van Wrinkle at his nap.
The grounds were covered with brown and
yellow leaves. with here and there a red squir-
rel running and rustling among them, as If
pretending to be the true red breast that laid
the leaves over the babes Of the wood.
The morning had been rainy and the after
noon showed only few momontary openings
Of clear sky so that saw sunnyside with
out the sum But under the heavy clouds
there was something owo-inspirng in the SOM
bro view OF those grand old hills with their
many-colored forests, and Of Hendrix Hud-
sons ancient river still flowing at the feet OF
the ancient palisades.
The mansion of Sunnyside has been stand
ing for twenty-three years but when trstitS
sharp-anglcd roof wcdgod its way up among
the branches Of the old woods, the region was
Gar more solitude thau now; for az shat time
our busy author bad secluded himself from all
most everybody but one near neighbor while
be has since unwittngly gathered around him
a little community of New York merchants,
whose elegant country seats, opening into
el' 9'''I' " '''u''''. Ivy, ','''e aal n
.to ..tla,c tt, -.iiro,d b, tbo b,nora-
-.,' .'.'- va T..., & - ri.iia tb.
'l "'"'' ,1
sy"' y.e'I ~ ".l NAM ;:n H., ,r,,o 7e.
n'"' Wv. N'i'.A.' o.'o'. sun W.
ia W ''"'' r''-, '''"''5 ''' -,
u.ss1'io' .. o..l5 iio'.. i.i.,. '''''''
ana "'l''Os' "'''o''
Is pu.ins hln far or"
a., ,.;,,l,o.. ,o,r a.,, r-o,, an Ttorarv Ia.
.I ,.,.. ...,.. 3.,.. ,i,, ,i,so or ti. li1
..,., "a l.,'. -,.,..'l "A 800,
AZ. r-.:-.- rl5.taatir., a.. o,,
l 80, ,.l., Inn. i;s,.o + f,,oio.
him ;, ,bo ,yirt.r lif.. ! f,und him onl,
~ ,ho r,..li.,, s,,,,,or I1ocsr,s down stains
~ ,'o ii''''''' .t l'-'.., tari +ta h,cl
si..,.;.t g., ,.,l r,ol,. ..t.r, tbo, r,;,,b.
nall I,--o r,arr ono 1nuht xthothqr he haf
ei III .a,.,,,,..sa,ortl, yeor IT,
.'' 'ger;n, 1c. f.o,, ostb,n. and yas mufIls,
,,.;n.. ,bo dsrn, air yitb scotch shawl
,,-,..,,a i,lo '.roo, lose sc,rf .roupd Nj,
80 Lo 7,ort bis sest in tho old arm
r,s;r and desnite his hoarseness and trou
tIc1 cbos, begon an unexpected vivaciou
oo,ysrs,tioo he made me almost forget tha
was the quest Of an old man. long past hi
.,tre.-score wears and ten"
Rut what should ono talk about who ha,
only half an hour with Washington Irving
vcntnred the question
-" Now that Won have laid aside your pen
which of your books do you look back up5
with most pleasures"
Uo Immediately replicd. 81 scarcely loo
,,itb GIl satisfaction upon any for they d
not seem what they might have been; l oite
yi.b tbat could have twenty wears more, t
take them down from the shelf one 10y ono
,,l ,r,;+, tb,n, an over
M, spokc of M. daily habits of writing. bc
e,rob. b,d made the resolution 20 write n
maze His usual hour. for literary work wei
fron morning an noon. Butalthoughhe he ha
generally found bis mind most vigorous
tbe early part of the dav. be had always bea
subject to Moods and caprices. and could na,
%, I'm whom he took up the pen. how man
49, 4 . ......,l5 i,,. - {,,,.r