Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-04-09


we got only BY impor,atou; even the olassies Of
our language were not republishsd on this side of
| the Atlantic ! do not remember that the works
Of any one Of the great English authors had been
reprinted In America. Possibly some entorprisng
booksellers Ia the large cities had vsntursd On edi
tion Of Pope's Essay on Man. or Yoans's Night.
ThoughtG with but ono triding qualification Of
this kind, my remarks believe, will bo found "
hold true, Towards contemporary English htsra.
ture thers waa the same Indifference. Boswell's
| johnson, Of which Lord Maeaulay says that II 10
read beyond the Missippi and under tho Soathsrn
Cross. and is likely to be read ~ long - the Eng
lish exists. either a. living or dead languass"-
most delightful Of books--would be repablish.
cd at the present day In this country, before the
sheets were dry from the English press, appeared
in England 10 l79l, and was NOT reprinted In
America till 1903. In that year, at tho darkest
hour whiohlprscssded tho dawn Of our national
literature, the 6rst purple glsam ofIrvings fancy
began to oblush in the East Soon the sky was
seen to redden and glow with tho coming splen.
dors; hope and expectation strained their waiting
eyes towards the glorious light, and anon ths sun
OF hi. rssplsndsnt genius arose. with healing In
his wings. aud moved with sssadfass glory up 10
| tho meridian. Then. like the sun on Gideon, II
stood still-a long and gladsome noon--shsdding
light and Joy through the world Of letters, till u
went down Vt length with unolouded beams 70 the
golden west His fame and his favor grew with
the growth and strengthened with the strength OF
Nlo uVuntry. uhTLy prUuuutkuub WeTo tuo IL"
vortes Of tho club.room and the freside, whom wo
counted some scvsn millions of population. In 1909
Ills Life of Columbus and Life Of Washington
have boon received as classics by four times that
number, whose overflow has spread to tho Pacific
ocean. The most popular Of our writer's In his
he led, with checriully Acknowledged superiority
tho rapidly increasing company ofnamcs not IN.
worthy TO be classed with his own, nnd went down
TO his grave In his we'll earned, undisputed. uncn.
vi"d pre-eminencc.
Such he was 10 his countrymen as an American
writcr nor was his career less distinguished -
n member ofthe great republic Of European and
especially of English lctter,. Milton observed. two
centuries ago. that "the Italians were not forward
to bestow written enconiums on mon OF this side
Of the Atlantic. II must be owned, however, that,
at tho beginning oftha century. there had not been
many occasions to put that liberalty Ia this res.
pect to the test About the time that Mr.. lrving's
than unjustly, By kind.hearsed .humorist, who
really loved America, who reads IN American
bookf" Thanks to the pom Of our accomplished
countryman, the question was soon reversed; and
after the publication Of the Sketch Book" 10
might with equal proprioty have been asksd.--
WHO docs not read an American hookT
Mr.. Irving however, wont abroad at tho most
unfavorable moment at which an American On.
thor could present himself before tho British pub
lie. To the general prejudoss which have allu-
dei. and all tho traditional sources Of anti.Amsr
ican fooling connected with rsoolleotionsof The
recent war. OF oil literary adventures, young
American, writing for bread, seemed tho least
| likely to gain favorable car In London. Eyen
If there wero no obstacles Of this kind 10 b sur
mounted, Mr.. Irving,,s arrival In Europe oeiasi.
ded with the palmy days Of Scott, Byron. Moore.'
But with calm selfrelianee Of sssrliag mesit be
fearlessly entsrsd the Olympisn raes with these
illustrious rivals. lie entered It unknown 10 the
great English public, with but one friend among
tho literary magnates Of the day. Bat with eour.
nge, set Of by unaffected difidsnoe. he guided his
glowing axle along the imperial course. 3 ~
shout OF generous applause soon ebesred the
gallant stranger; the brightsst eyes In Eugland
rained influence on his noblo adventure; more
than one Of the veteran candidates for public favor
dropped SUCCESSFULLY behind him, and he wheeled
his painting courssrs In triumph ~ tho goal
abreast Of the most admired Of his competitors.--
II. would be highly presamptaous in me, sir after
what has been said by the distinguished eulogist
of the evening. aud tho other gentlemen who
have preceded me, to pursue in any detail Of the
noble career Of our departed friend. Happy In
his genius. happy in tho carly bloom Of his rspu.
taton Mt home happy. l will say, In his misfor-
tunes, happy In the success OF his misccllaneoos
writings. ho was thrice happy Ia the choice of tho
subjects Of his two great historical compositions.
One might ask what theme auspicious Tor the
most popular American writer, ut tho meridian
Of his fame, as the life Of Columbusf Had he not
found for his later years q still moro auspicious
theme in the Life Of Washington" What un.
discoverer he went forth weeping. but bearing
precious sced," but also to come again with 70.
joicng" at the evening Of the year, clearing tho
full grown shenvss" Of the Father Of his Country!
How favored tho life beyond all ordinary men-
sures Of human happincssl Opening with tho
Il II