Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-04-06
WASHINGTON IRVING,
The ono IgundredtI, tnniycrsar, III
His Birth-His Literary Career.

His Birth-His Literary Career
Tue sday marked the Tooth anniversary Of
the birth of the man FOR wl ON it may lie fair
ly claimed that he was Americas first great
literary product First, that is, in the order OF
time, though not in that If mcritorious and
distinctive originality. For Washington Irving
was born too carly in our national life, and
spent too many OF the best years OF his long
and successful career in the atmosphere of
the Old World, to typfy in the realm Of let
tiers the characteristics which have tccn de-
vcloptd 10y the political and social expert.
ment that has now stood u ccntury's test. His
genius POWERED in the nations sccd-timc, and,
having lis root in older soil. could give, in
the nature II thiugs, but slight Indication
and promise OF the peculiar aud novel beau
ties blos,omlnS tO-Uiay in our literature and
ant Not us u typical writer, then, was lrv-
Ing notable, but rather rs the best and most
successful representative Of The transition
from the English literature OF the 18Th cen
tury TO the American literature of the 18th II
connecting literary link between the present
and the past. In this view it may seem a
little strange and almost contradictory that
the earliest OF the works npun which his re-
putatiOn chiefly depends, the famous
'knickcrbockcr's History of New York, ~ is
more distinctivcly American, both in style and
substance, than any of its Successors But
the contradiction lies entirely on the surface.
In the first place it was written.
when His blood was Young,
the period when its newer Ingredients would
naturally make their Influence felt most
strongly, and in the second place he had not
then taken up his residence in Europe, which
few years later, stiiitd the Tendencies fys-
tered in him by the surroundings of a new
civilization, called into action the latent in
slincts which he had inherited from the past
aud thus induced his rCvcrsiOn to the forms
and standards so long followed by European
writer's To bC sure, in consequence of his
| life abroad his style acquired an elegance,
refinement and finish which it never
would have attained at home, and probl-
| bly, thus ensured the author himself a
more lasting reputation than would other
wise have been his lot, but from the stand
point of the public welfare it may be seri-
uusly doubted whether American literature
to-day would not have been richer had young
| Irvings circumstances been such US to prompt
him to the creation of new standards rather
than to the imitation of the old world mas
tiers. BE that as it may, all Americans may
certainly celebrate with pride the centennial
of the birth Of the first man produced within
! the borders OF their country who achieved
an international rcputc purely as as Il litera-
| tour.
Irving was born in New York City of
English parents, his father being IL prosper
Gus merchant who came to this country from
the Orkncys. The sou studied for the legal
| profession, and did actually become II mem
Der OF the bar, but his literary propcn7ities
soon took him out of practice, and the sue
cess of his miscellaneous saircs known US
'Sallnasundi' launched him on
His Caroer"As an Authors
In 1909 came his "KnickeIJocker His
tory" already referred to, and then few
years of commercial life, entered upon be-
cause of his fathers death lie went to Liv-
| crp0o. in 1915 10 look after branch of his
house, but was unable to avert the bankrupt
cy that threatened ii. Necessity drove him
to literary work Ia England, and in lS20 the
publisher Murray brought out his "Gcuifrcy
Crayon's Sketch Book, Containing his famous
story of Grip Van Wiuklc," Two years later
"Braccbridge Hail. appeared, and after an
other interval Of the same length came
the Tales of II Traveller" After the pub
LEGATION Of the latter work lie travelled II
long time on the contincat, and then went to
Madrid, to write his life of Columbus, which
WAS publishedn 1928. Then followed in rapid
succession "Thc Companions Of Columbus, 4"
| "rhc Conquest of Granada" aud "Thc
| Alharbra. When in 1892, after an absence
| of seventeen years he returned TO his native
| land he found his reputation made, and was
| lionized in all quarters. lie built beauti-
full residence on the Hudson, the sunny
side" of which every one has heard, and
there wrote Astoria and Captain Bonnie
vile" after which he was appointed minis
ter TO Spain, ard held the ofiice for four
years. Returning in 1916, he wrote the final
works of lis lie-namcly, Life Of Gold
smith, THE Lives OF Mahomct and his Sue
cessors' and biography II Washington
aud died Of heart disease at Sunnysdc Nov
ember %, 1859. He never married, but
cherished to the last the memory of an I'M
realized affection conceived in his early man
hood, Of which the untmely death Of its OBJ
joct prevented the consummaton. As nov
est. historian and biosrlphcr he won high
fame, which there was nothing in his life to
sully, aud which will not now grow DINNER
with the lapse of time.