New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-04-04

xdfO Il
more sbhof1tnI to Iryines IDEAS the province of
Ncrspber than the slightest oetracton from the merits
81 otbes that his hero might appear more eminent 30
remarkable Is his this respect, that dsih-
ousbed member Of the Historical SO 'etyA who has an
sly7eo the n eri,s of tho Lie Of Washington With
critical tkil which makes ashRued to spsAk OF tue
work sftT hun, has declared that no wr!tor wtn toS
circle of he reading has so successfully
"hs chin 10 the rare and difficult virtue OF mpaf"n
~" IL - hocomos
confess that my admiration Of this WORK oeconloe
the gre Ater the more examine II. la toe o'ocs WIZ
ings Of living arc beaus wc1 sk .bi"b lie Sesosr
cree In this 1 recognise quabues Wh'ou ITO ueepos
ard which was not sure of hoding-a rare equiy OF
tudcuent large grasp of the subject prOloonu pat
ioaerhv in6ependen philosophical Tor ns ana even
,e;oc,inc them the DO Of reducing
IN mense row of loose materas 10 clear and orderly
ara pge eut ana forming them INTO Que graod whole,
as 3 ekilfn commander ffom raooie OF raw reeydWs,
forms o disciplined army, animated and moved by
he cTeater psrt Of this last work of Irving was
comnosed while be was In the enjoy nent Of what
niobt be called happy old age ls was not without
he ipfrmsties but his frame yet unwGsted, his
intellccg bright snd active, and the hour of decay
scented yet distant He he'd beco ne more than ever
the object OF public veDoration, aud in his beautiful
reireSt enjoyed eli the advantages and few Of the
noestst.ons of acknowledged greatness little too
much WISHED, perhaps but sob0iuOg to the intrusion
OF bis admirers with his characteristic patience and
kintnefs. That retreat had no become more charm
ing than ever, and the domestic lie within was as
beautiful az tue nature without eurvv og brother,
oloer than himself, shared it with hin, and several
ale ctioDste nepbews and neoes stood TO mm in the
relation Of cons and daughters. lie surrounded
by neighbors, who saw him daily, aud honored and
loved him the more for knowing him so well.
While be wss engaged in writing the last pages of
his " Life of Washington bis country men heard
with pain that his health falling and Ills sreogth
wss ebbing away. lie completed the work, however,
though he able TO revise the last sheets and
we Lhen heard that his nights had become altogether
seepless. lie was himself of opinion that his abors
hod IcF tsTQO nj md
tines feared that the power TO continue them would
desert him before his task should be ended. catarrh
TO which be had been subject had, by some
prtscrI tcD, been converted into an asthma, aud tue
asthma according TO the testimony Of his physician
Dr. Petes Of the most attentive and assiduous CT
bis profession, was at length accompanied by an en-
lafoemoI,t of the heart This disease enfed III the
usual way by o sudden dissolution. On the 2Sth Of
November last, in the evening, he had hidden his
family good night in his usual kind manner, and had
withdrawn to bis room, attended by one Of his nleces
tarfy ing his medic mes, when he complained OF sud-
den feeling OF inense eadness, sank Immediately into
her srcs, ard died without struggle.
Although he had reached an age beyond which hfe
Is rarely prolonged the news OF his death was every
where received with profound sorrow. The whole
country mourned but the grief most deeply felt in
his immediate neighborhood the little children wept
for the loss Of theR good friend When the day OF his
funeral arrived the people gathered far and near to at
tend it, this capital poured forth its citizens the trains
OIL the railway were Gro vded aud multitude like a
mass meeting, but reveTently silent, moved through
che strests OF the neghborng village which had been
dressed in the embltms Of mourning, and clustered
about the church and the burial ground. 1t was the
first day of December the pleasant Iodian Summer Of
our climate had been prolonged far beyond ITS usual
date: the sun shoDe with bis sOttet spendor; sind the
eleme Its were hushed into perfect calm; it was like
one Of the blandest days Ct October. TIE hills and
forests, the meadows and waters which Irving had
loved, seemed listening in thai quiet atmosphere, as
the solemn funeral service read IL read
the remains of one NhOse lite had well prepared his
spirit for s new stage OF being. Irving did not aspire
10 be theoloean, bat his heart deeply penetrated
with the better part Of religion, and he had sought
humby initiate the example Of the Grea5 Teacher of
or faith.
That auniable character which makes itselt so mani
fest in the writings Of Irving, seen in ali his daily
actions. lie was ready 70 90 kind Offices tender
of The feelings Of hers, carefully Just but lean
ing to the nerciful eide of astice ayerse from STRIFE
and mooest that the world never ceased TO wonder
how it should have happened that much praised
should have gained little He envied no
mans success, he sought TO cetract from no mans
merits but he scutey sensitive both to prase and
TO baInceensitiye % such degree IN an unfavora-
BE criticism Of any Of his works would almost per-
suade hin that they as worthless IS the critic
Represented them. lie thought So little of himself
that he could never comprehend why it was that he
sboud he the object OF curiosity or reverence.
From the time that he began the composition of the
"Sketch Book" his whole life was tue life Of an au
thor. His b ibi,s Of composition were, however, by
no means regular Whom he in the vein the
periods would literally stream from bis peni at other
lines be would scarcely write anything. For two
year after the failure Of bis brothers at Liverpool he
found il almost impossible TO write a line. lie was
throughout life early riser, snd when In the MOOD,
would write all the morning and TIL late 10 the day,
wholly euerOesed with his subject. In the evening
be was ready for any cheerful psstine, IN which ne
took mart Nth AN animation almost amounting 70 bgh
spirits These intervals Of excitement and intense
labor sometimes lasting for weeks, were succeeded by
lappuor and at times by depression OF spirits, aud Tor
montbs the pen would lie untoucheoi even to answer
q lette, az those times was an irksome task.
In the evening be wrote but very rarely, knowing
80 AT least n1eI-tbat no habit makes severer de-
Snanos upOn the nervous system than this. IL was
owing doubt not 10 this prudent Outstanding OF his
nowePs sopg wi his some what absnent habits aud
he exercise which he took every day, that ne was
able TO preserve umpaiTed TO 80 late period The fac
ulties employed in original composition. de mas been
q vigorous walker and fearless rider, and In his de-
cniIg yeats he drove out daily not only for the sake
of the open air and motion, bat TO refresh his mind
with the aspect Of nature. One Of his tavorite recre
ations WA listening 10 music, OF which he was an III
duleent critic and he contrved 10 be pleased and
soobed by strains less artioy modulated than tasd
ious are apt 10 require.
wore owing 10 very early practice, the reading OF good
authors and the native elegance OF he Tna ana n9'
In ny opinion, owing TO any epecia stuuy vi Ihe
prsess of manner airy anxious care IN the use OF
terms and pbrases. Words and combinations OF words
are sometIogs found n his writings to which fas-
fdous tse might object but these do not prevent 1s
StvIa from being one OF the most agreeable IN me
whole ranee Of literature. II Is Transparent as the
lebt sTeety modulated, unaffected, the naive ex-
ISessiop of fertile fancy, benigoant temper, and
mind which delishtng In the noble and beautiful,
turned involuntarily away from their opPosites HIS
macmillan bumOr was 10 great measure, the onsprhg
n ths institution Of his mind Tois faue1ul play
inc with common things" as Mr.. Dana calls it, 70
nsver coarselever aiattd with grossness, and always
IN harmony with our better sympahies: IL not Only
,;,(,ad Is xxritinOe but oyerOWed in his delightful