New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-12-08
The Dealt, of Washington Irvin9--fI;s
Last Hours.

orally known that his health has been in falling
condition for year past An asthmatical difficulty
10 which he has long been subject has during this
/ period, taken more serious turn, and has been
attended with occasional paroxysrns Of difficult
breathing from which he has suffered greatly, and
WHICH have caused fearful apprehensions among
ibe members Of his family. The worst effect of
tHis aiSease has been the seepIess nights that it
mas occasioned its victim. It is, in fact stated that
af- if'lfg mas not had perfect nights rest in a
| year. Inc consequence Of this has been com
piete prostration Of his nervous system, and the
| gradual breaking down Of constitution already
! weak from the natural infrmity of years. But in
addition to this Mr. Irving has been afflicted with
another disease, not 80 generally known 10 his
friends, but which, as the event has shown WAC ~
much more fatal character. This was an enlarge
ment Of the heart. The New York Times has the
following in relation to his last hours
On Sunday morning last he attended church as
usual, at Tarrytown about two miles from his resi-
dence. 1t was remarked by many persons in the
congregation that he appeared more pallid and
feeble than usual, and it was also noticed that he
did not wait after the services were over, was
his custom, to shake hands with his friends and
neighbors, but Immediately fastened home. During
the morning of Monday he walked out to his gar
den, a short distance from the house, and gave
some Instructions to his gardener. He also gave
instructions to the carpenters who were employed
in making some alterations in his library. He did
not ride out during the day, was his custom but
as he made no complaint Of feeling more ndisposed
than usual, the omission not thought by his
family to arise from any alarming conditions. He
dined with the family about o'clock, and after
dinner proposed that they should spend the evening
in amusement. conversation and reading. In addi-
ton to the regular members of the family consist
ing OF Ebenezer Irving, the brother of the deceas-
ed, with his three daughters, and Pierre N. Irving
a Jyjf Stvifp nnp a-SIa
Pierre NJ. Irving, of New Brighton Staten Island
the literary executor of the deceased, was also
present, having accidentally come up from Staten
Island that day.
The evening was spent according to the propo-
| sal of Mr.. Irving, and excepting an occasional
reference TO his difficulty of breathing, none of the
| party appeared more cheerful, or more gratifed
sharer OF the enjoyment than he. About half-past
10 O'Clock he to retire. and taking his leave of
the. company, he assembled the stairs alone to his
| bedroom. While upon the steps lie met his nephew
Rev. Mt. Irving, coming down, holding in his hand
| a needle for sewing manuscripts. Mr.. Irving ac-
| costed him in playful manner, saying: q Why,
| Pierre, what are You doing with needle ~ and
passed on to his room. These were the last words
he ever uttered. One of his neces, Miss Sarah
Irving, had preceded him to his ROOM and when he
entered she was engaged in arranging his books SO
| that they would be convenient of access in his
hours OF wakefnness during the night. While en-
gagged in this duty, she startled by noise as
| Of some one choking, and turning round she saw
Mr. Irving press his left hand to his heart and fall
| forwards. He caught hold OF a table in falling.
and gradually sank down on the floor. The noise
was heard in the parlor below, and in a moment
| every member of the household was around him,
but before any of them reached him he had ceased
| to breathe.
| As appropriate to the occasion, we subjoin a
portion of an interesting account of visit recently
made by him to N. P. Willis, ESQ.,, in company
with the Hon. John P. Kennedy of Baltimore, and
Lieut. Wise of the United States Army After stat
ing that their arrival at his residence Mr. Irving
was out upon his usual morning drive, Mr. Willis
| continues:
| ] was looking admiringly once more at Jarvis
record of him at the sketch-book period of his life
(the portrait with the fur collar, which all who have
seen it will well remember) when Mr. Irving
came in from his drive. Wehad heard so much re.
Gently of his illness, that was surprised to see
with how lively and firm a step he entered-remoy-
ing the slouched hat Comfortable departure from
the old school covering, which had never expect
ed to see on so proper head y with as easy ele-
gance as ever, sitting down with his gray shawl
| upon kind inquiries and exchange Of courtesies
with no hindrance of debility that could see
| He is thinner somewhat in both form and fea-
tures-owing to the asthma which interferes some
what with his repose when lying down-but the
| general expression of his countenance is unchang.
ed, and his eye as kindly and bright. As to the
sprightliness of attention and reply, l could see
but little difference from the Washington Irving of
| other days
| Conversation falling upon exercise, Mr.. Irving
remarked that he daily took his drive in the car
riageless from any desire to go abroad than find
ing, since he had given up habits of labor, that
time hung heavy on his hands. + y
Mr.. Kennedy had returned recently from tour
in Europe, where he had met many Of Mr. Irving's
friends and he took this opportunity to speak of
them with their MESA ges of honorine repard-
Lord John Russells, more particularly, who had
been most earnest in his desire to be named ten.
DERBY once more to his friend of other days. Any
one who has CHANGED to see and enjoy the half-em-
barrassed smile and look of deprecating humility
with which this our most modest of great men re-
cciyes an honorary tribute, will understand why it
was pleasure to be present at the opening of MFR.
kennedys rich budget OF Irving memories from
abroad; and how he thus saw an unwilling of the
beloved face recognized in his works, which was
better worth treasurng than any portrait Of the
courtly outer man.
The honored invalid complaining little of
hoarseness in his voice, mentioned to him an al
leyiatlve l had lately CHANGED upon myself for
similar troube-asking accidentally for some help
to my hoarseness in an apothecarys shop, and get
ting lozenge with ostmysterious name which
had since found an invarable throat deepener for
three notes in the gamut. | contryed to call to
recall to memory the Ossawatamystic inscription
on the box, C' Browns Pectoral Troches'') and
was amused with the atlectionate playfulness with
which Mr.. Irving called on of his nieces Eek
planning, aside, g this is my doctor') to remember
the name of the medicine This same charming
household physician, observed, followed him to
tHt uool He oul, hlleFWhFt, TO see lis oil,
and guarded him against the cool air by tenderly
drawing the shawl about his neck and placing his
hat upon his head-caressing attentions which he
evidently submitted to as habit, the gentle troop
who are thus his constant ministers being like
portion of his own personal existence.
Attributable, perhaps, to a rallying of his animal
spirits with cessations from work, | could not but
wonder at the effortless play of =" Dedrch Knicker-
booker" humor, which ran through all his CONVEX
sation-Washington Irving, in his best days. am
very sure, never more socially agreeable " than
with us, for that brief visit
There was an amusing exchange of sorrows, also,
between him and Mr.. Kennedy, as to persecution
by autograph hunters though the eXSecretary
gave rather the strongest MISUNDERSTANDING an
unknown man who had written to him when at the
head of the Navy Department, requesting, as one
of his constituents to be furnished with autographs
of all the Presidents, of himself and the rest of the
Cabinet, and of any other distinguished men with
whom he might be in correspondence.
1t may not be amss to add passage from the
Boston Post given recently in an article on the
sale of books
OF Washington Irvings works-exclusiye of the
Life of Washington and q The Sketch Book -
there have been sold, within the last ten wears
twenty-five thousand sets of fifteen volumes each
OF the Sketch Book' thirty-five thousand comics
have been distributed; and of the :" Washington
forty-two thousand sets of five volumes each and
at prices ranging from seven dollars to eighty-fve
dollars per set. This gives grand total of five
hundred and seventy-fve thousand volumes dis
posed of under G. p. Putnam's management since
ls4o. Meanwhile Mr.. Irving has received, as the
reward of his brain work. the snug little sum of
seyentyfve thousand dollars in the past ten years.
curious scrap of secret literary history is the
fact that at the expiration of iryinpS contract with