The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-05-09
A New Chapter in Literary Biography
WHY Irving was Never Mnrried.

.
celibacy:
1t was while engaged in writing bis "Ilis.
tory OF Now York" that Irving, then u
young man OF twonty.six, was called to
mourn tho somewhat sudden death OF Ma.
tiIdu Hoffman, whom he had hoped to call
his wife, This young lady was tho second
daughter of Josiah Ogden Hoffman. and tho
sister OF those two talented men, Charles
Fenno Hoffman, the poet, and Ogden Hoff.
man, the eloquent jurst In bor fathers
Office Washington Irving had ossaycd to
study law, aud with every prospect, il in
dustrious and studious, of partnersbip
with Mr.. Hoffman, as well as matrimonial
alliauce with Matilda. Those high hopes
were disappointed by the deceaso of The
young lady on tho Goth of April, 1909, in
tho eighteenth year of her age.
| There is pathOs about lrvings recital of
tho circumstances of her death, and OF his
own feelings. that 10 truly painful and tear.
impeIling. l1o says: "She was taken III
with u cold. Nothing was thought of It OF
! nrst; but she grew rapidly worse, and foil
into consumption. ! cannot toll you what
suffered saw her rado
rapidly away; beautiful and moro angelic
to tho very last. l was often by her bed
aide and in her wandering state OF mind
she would talk TO mo with sweet, natural
aud Ctfocting elOq uance, that was ovcrpOw.
ering. l saw moro of the beauty of her
mind 10 that delirous state, than had ever
known before. Her malady was rapid In
its career, and hurried her off in two mon this.
Her dying struggles wero painful aud pro.
tracted.
For three days and nights did not lea 70
the house, aud scarcely slept. was by her
when she died ; oil the family were as
sembed round her, some praying, others
weeping. for she was adorcd by thom alt.
was tho last Que she looked upon.
l cannot tell you what a horrid state of
minG / was in for long time. seemed to
care for nothing; the world was blank TO
me. l abandoned all thonghts Of the law.
1 went into the country, but could not bear
solitude. yet could not enjoy society. There
was dismal horror continually in my mind,
that bado me fear to be alone. had often
to get up in the night, and sock the bod
room of my brother, as if tho having q bu-
man being by me would relieve me FROM
tho trighttu gloom of my own thoughts.
months elapsed before my mind would
resume any tone but tho despondency
had suffered for long time in the course
of this attachment, and the anguish that
a.topaeu '.S Ga'as'ropno' seemea 10 give
.H'u W my ~"o'e onaia'e', auu '"Iow soulo
oouuS '''o "y u:po''.o"' ""'." ""'o o'e,
e"Ie nu"e aoou. ". Seemeu
W uIi' soou' "',nou' a'ul or ooJec'' at the
meIo1 as W every o,e'No my nears wan.eu
nI"oato J was u.amy euso.p''p,e,
"nu 'a,oa W 'n,m otunI I a,'aG.'non,s' !. ou'
,,, ms nva' @ mou,u .o' .,e. uo'a oa "ou,u con,
nnua'y 'oul " ~"at "au 'osi apu
,e rueuesos .nelo mas pause ~ ,ao I,y nuIry o.
no'eIy anu e.c'oinon'' wou,u S'ns 'h'e
a's"a. s,' eeyeoa'o" rm yoa's oou'u uo
1a,e ,a ", w. 'uoy'' ;n y. LUIS "ppo''Ss Iegre.
oou'u 40. e'on .;1u uon''on uot ha"e, ou
uos ,naeo was oouay = po'o'o uio' a"u
orSaupt OF nor necessarily: TIL,
a SuoI ,', ~as 'ne ~, language ~ WI won asnt
,",," .o .;,,, ~. .,''' "uu sou ,J'
,o..el We" u,"ny yca.e ag",o .auN
W. ~ 80 ~ no oAP'osoo.
.no s "'s" CIV W I. n"om WV! ue naG ne'er nnr
.ou oau "o'ue s noo s'"p"'0S ueSo'.o' ~
, 'ne s".PTreGk .; n'pe.o VI nore senuet.y ao
P'ce !"I cn'san,o ae'o"Gn ot 'a''n'u
,oSer nov a'" sHoe,'y' .o', uoee iav.ng PoI
uay WI "s W pe" ;u' ','oon.s
: .,,s. S 'o'eu one ito saSs, :" .no Sams 'es.e,
: i"e no.v sa" Ios .no a'o'o nau .oaey H"i
~ Ie ner , d u n""rs S'HoI ,;,e 70 J;aU" uuo
. ''so', ..a, Wy ,'''' IJ H"u oy I'm ,"1 " uS'onv
n II