Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1876-09-05
From the San Francisco Chronicle.
"REBECCA OFIVANHOE."
Wild
Washington Irving's First and
Only Love.

The Chronicle recently printed the
following vagrant item under the per
sonal head
"Miss Grundy says that the original
of Sir " alter Scott's Rebccca, in the
novel Of "Ivanhoe,u was Philadel-
phia Jewcss, whose picture Washing
ton Irving showed to Scott"
This publication has called from a
well-informed correspondent some in
teresting particulars of the part taken
by Irving in supplying Scott with this
Interesting literary picture from real
life, including the American authors
early love, disappointment, aud the
mutual VOWS of celibacy taken by him
self and the lady who loved hut was
not permitted TO wed him, and who is
reproduced in SCOTS charming char
acter OF Rebecca. Our correspondent
has his information from o relative Of
the lady in question, and the already
known facts leave but little room to
doubt that these freshly-publshed de.
tails are substantially correct, The
story, rs our correspondent relates it,
Is as follows:
Washington Irving In early life, be-
came acquainted with q very intellli.
gent and beautiful Jewess in Philadel-
phia by the name of Rebeeca Cratz.-,
This acquaintance ripened into love.
In which both shared, and Irving pro-
posed marriage, and was accepted on
condition that the parents of the lady
would consent to the union of their
daughter with Gentle. The He
brew religion forbade such marriage,
and though the parents esteemed the
sutton highly they could not bring
their minds TO consent to a violation
of so sacred a regulation of their faith
The attachment was so strong between
the lady and Irving that nothing but
their elevated sense of the duty of a
child to parental authority kept them
from wedding. They resolved how
ever, that in sentiment they would
remain true to each other through life
and never wed. ....
1t was during this state Of their re-
lations that Irving made his first visit
to Sir Walter Scott. The latter had
already made for himself an undyiug
reputation rs an author, and the form
er, with his literary productions, had
attracted the attention of the "WiZard
Of the North,n who was at that time
incubating in his mind that wonder
full story of "Ivanhoe," Personal in
tercourse with Irving go won upon
SCOTS confidence that he sketched to
him the plan of the story, confessing
at the same time that he felt the need
Of heroine other than Rowena.-
Irving's heart and head were full of
his romantic love for Rebecca Graft,
and he mOdestly proffered to furnish
Scott with a heroine, many OF the in
cidcnts connected with whom should
be drawn from real life, The offer was
accepted and 1rvings's Rebecca,
mutually pledged with him to unwed-
ded earthly fidelity, stood as the model
of the immortal Rebecca of 'Ivanboe.
Scott, Of course, adapted it to the
eXigencies of his story, but the great
ideal as furnished by Irving was I'M
changed.
1t is known to every one that Irving
! never was married, and those who
were intimate with him knew also, or
believed that the cause of it was an
early attachment, about which cloud
of mystery hung, rendering him in
sensible 10 the Establishments and
charms of other women, by whom he
was highly esteemed, and in the
breasts of some it was supposed Il
warmer sentiment existed. Rebecca
Graft, gentle and loving, with heart
and hand ever open to suffering and
sorrow, remained true to her plighted
faith, and, like Irving, died unwedded