Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-31
WASHINGTON IRT1NG,s CENrENARY

Washington Irving was born April 3,
1888, in New York city, in house on VIII
liam street, between John and Fulton, near
the Old Dutch Church, venerable edifce,
that is the pride of ancient New York.
His centenary, therefore, will soon be at
hand. AS early as 1902, under the quaint
no M de plume of Johnathan Oldstyles he
began his career of authorship, those
early creations of his pen appear
ing in his brothers paper. In the
year 1909, appeared his Knickerbocker's
History of New York, which secured him
fame. In 1890 he issued the Sketch
Book, while residing in London, and his
reputation was from that time firmly es-
tablished in England, and later in his ma
tive land. 1t was the most successful book
that had then been written by an Ameri-
can, and it's phenomenal success decided
him to continue upon literary career.
His later works, though among the most
delightful volumes ever written in the En-
glish tongue, do not at all surpass, if, in
deed, they equal, in piquant flavor and
genial humor the harmonies of his first two
works.
Irving's Life of Washington was his
most ambitious pr oduction, but its prepar-
alton led him into field where the pecul-
lar charm of his genius had no play, and
although valuable as a contribution to con-
temporaneous biography, it scarce added
to his fame. The vein in which he excelled
was so completely shut out, that
these volumes are hardly accorded
the measure of merit of which they are
deserving. 1t has been said, and well
said. of Irving, that he was retrospective
man.
Charles Dudley Warner said of him:
HE never caught the restlessness of this
century, nor the prophetic lights that
shone in the faces of Coleridge, Shelley
and Keats; if he apprehended the stir of
the new spirit, he still, by mental affilia-
ton, belonged rather to the age of Addison
than to that of Macaulay." George Sum-
ner, the brother of Charles Sumner, and
himself one of the brightest and most
charming of men, who, knew Irving well
during his residence abroad as minister
to Spain, wrote, soon after his friends
death, to the poet Longfollow, as follows:
''Mr. Irving was in the largest sense of the
word national man-keenly alive to the
honor and good name of the Republic
his honest nature revolted at any forget
fitness of it on the part of those whom
the people had selected as their represen-
tatives." Mr.. Sumner attributed to r.
wings style the fact that the ''Sketch
Book had been more widely read in its
original tongue, than any book in our Ian
guage, except the ''Vicar of Wakefield"
The literary epoch to which Irving be-
longed has passed, and if any representa-
i've of that period still remains with US,
George Bancroft is the only one. In the
rapid transitions of this period, the gentle
moods of Irving are somewhat lost to
view. It is probably true his books are not
read so much as they once were, and
more's the pity, for the sake of the gen.
uine element he contributed to our Ameri-
can letters.
1t is gratifying, to US, at least, to be in
formed that there is propects of appro-
pirate remembrance of the centenary
of this favorite author, in the
city of his birth, in something of the gen
ial Knickerbocker spirit in which he lived,
and as preservative of the literary tradi-
tions of his country. We agree with the
remark of cotemporary: america will
never have another Irving. His centenary
presents fine opportunity for the leading
literary men of the country, and particu-
larly for those living in the vicinity of the
city of his birth, to do honor to his mem
ory."