New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-02

foot 90 tbis II has assumed such proportions ana
Importance, that It almost passes 9eyo [I Who ne
cent the KnickerbOcker assumption as q verify .J
use the name for Thousand purposes never Ie, aT
fhe History: lust as millions OF people are OH
familiar terms with Gulliver who never reau ic
of Swift and count Don GniXOte paIC oI tno az
mental furniture without SHOWING tllc I'o',o ~
Ceryantes This popular dlituSlon blalnps wv nye
rs one of the few masterpieces OF hhoT anu ndhLS
almost impertinent literary CRITICISM Oh Ine oo ON
II NAV he said however, that its efect upon me
medeTn reader is married by tho surplusage or the
Introductory matter, the elephantne nun OF With
is longer funny and that IN Places aio o than
IL is TO this But whatever may DC sala OF inc
Juvenile expansion of its style, take II thaI no
one would care to pnGir at n 10 of native mor
tuTb in any way the richest piece VI hdVl'o uii0
that the country has produced
Our notice would lack an essential feature
without a specimen of the dcmure gayety when
Irving sol deftly blends with the apparent gravity
of his historical narrative. The administration OF
the renowned WOutcr van Twillcr, under whose
sober sway the infant settlement waXed vigorous
apace, emerging from the swalnps ana FORESTS anu
@cxhibiting the mingled appearance Of town and
country. which at this day may be witnessed III the
CITY of Washington, that immense metropolis
which makes so glorious an appearance on paper
affords an appropriate eXamae:-
IT. was a pleasing sight in those times, to behold
the honest burgher, like patriarch oil EolG S'alcu
on the bench at the door OF his whtewaSneu IouSr'
r
hanging willow. Here would he smoke his pipe OF
a sultry afternoon enjoying the sou sOuI1t I'm
breeze and listening with silent gratnla'l"h 10 Illo
clucking OF his hens. the Cacklng Oh ms gceSc'
and thc SOuOrOus gTuuting of his swlne-tlat c"nl-
hination of farm-yard melody which may. truly nc
said TO have Il silver sound n4snuch as II conveys
n certain assurance of profitable nlIkttlHg' , Il,
The modern spectator, who wandeTs through inc
streets of this pOpuOus city, can scarcely FORM an
idea of H. different appearance they presented III
tic nrimitIyc DAYS of the DOubtcr. The busy num-
of multitudes the shouts OF icVclry inc rulplIils
cqupagcs of fashion, the rafting OF accILSeu Ills
and Nil the spirit gTicving sounds of Drawing com
mcrre were unknown III the scttlement OF New
Amsterdam, The grass grew quCtly III the HiSu-
WAYS the blcating sheep and trOlicSomc calves
snnrfrd ohout the yrrdant ridge where now the
broadway lOungyTS take their morning LsirOll' INC
cunning fox on TaVcnOus wolf Skulkcd IN the WOODS:
where now are TO he seen the deS 81 Gomez Ilil us
righteous fraternity of moncy-brokrrSi ana h3erS
of yocifcrous geese cacklcd about the ledS Wlltic
now the great TamnanY WigWGn ana me Paliotlc
tavern Of MartJing echo win inc WIahBhhgS Vi Vho
In these good times did n true. and cnyiable
equality of rank and property prevail cl1aIny rr
r,nvrd from the arrogance of wealth, ana the ser
vilitv and heart urniugS of rcpng poverty anu
,rhai i'm nv mind is still more conducive to iran
ouiIlity and harmony among friends, happy equal
ity of Intellect was likewise to be seen. Inc nil'I1
of thc rood burghcrs of Ncw-Anstcrdam seemed al
TO have been east in one mould, ana 10 he HOS
homes blunt minds which, Ike certain ii1nHiHC-
furrs are made by the gross ana considered us
exceedingly good for common u.s.. ,r-,..,- .-.
rims II 'happrns that your true dull minds are
,onnrollr nrcfGrred for public employ, and cspcc-
gFn1or,mS tcd 70 CITY Lonnrs your keen intclccts
| like razoTs, being considered too sharp for com.
mon service ] know that il is common 10 rail- NJ
thc uuc0ual distribution OF riches, as the" great
source Of calousics, Tois, ana lrart nicahihgS
whereas formy part verify nc,levI !, ~ .iir ~
incnualiy Of intellect, that prevails that Gn6rollS
communities more than anything else; ana nave
remarked that your knowing people, VINO are 50
much wiser than anybody Else. are c. T hrp
dam nothing of the kind was known WITHIN us
walls: the very words Of learning Icdicatlo taste
and talents were unhcarl OF ; hriglt genus, was
nm animal unknown. and y buc-St0cklng lady
would have been regarded with aS inlch wonder rs
horned frog OF nrr{ ur"Rb rcio" , nor INV
man 10 know more than an honest man 0ught 10
know, who has nOhOdy's business to mnd but ms
own; the par-On and the council clerk were lIIe
only men that could read i'm the community AMI the
sage Van Twiller always signed his name win
cross. ,..., DBL,
existing in I'LL the security OF harmless lhSghiii-
cance-unnoticcd and unrnvicd by the world,
without ambition, without yainglnry. Wlthout
riches without learning. and all then IRAN 81 car
king cares AND of wore, in the better days OF
man the dctics wont To visit him on earth
and bless his rural habitations, so, We are told, IN
the sylvan days of New Amsterdam, the good ST.
Nicholas would often make his appearance IN llS
beloved CITY of n holiday afternoon, riding JOLLY
among the tree-tOps the roofs of the honSrs
now and then drawing forth mhgnlncrnt presents
from his brecChcs pockets and drOnping them down
the chimncys Of his favOrtes. whereas, IN these
degenerate days of iron and brass. hc never shows
lis the light of his COuutcnanCc nor ever visits MS
save one night in the year, when he rallies dowh
the chimncys of the descendants OF patraIrhs, CON
fning his presents merely 10 the children, in token
of the dcgcnGraCy of the parents.
Mr.. Warner closes his introductory paper with n
few words of just cncOmium on the moral quality
of Washington Irving rs powerful literary force
Like Scott and Thackeray, he recoGn2edlthc abiding
value IN literature of integrity, sincerity, purity
charity, and faith. lie loved good women and little
children and pure life: he had faith In his fellow
ln al Of a plo Of sus oh
alrous actions he was an author still capable of n
generous enthusiasm. His writings full Of
sweetness and charm, Of humor without any sting.
of amusement without any stain and their grand
and lofty qualities are without pcdantry or prcten-
sion,