National Republican., 1883-04-03

| latter years that coming American writer Is
anxiousy looked for. He has already come.
lie came in several forms in the times Of
irving. American literature has distinc-
tlvely American character. and ono of which
| al Americans should be proud 1t does not
differ from European literature as the latter
| does from Semitic or Mongolian The rea-
son is obvious Europeans and Americans arc
OF the same Aryan race and as Roman,
dreek, Ieuton, Slav, Kelt, do not differ Us
much from each other as either does from the
Arab, the Hebrew the Chinese-so the litera-
ture of each Of these nations bears n stronger
resemblance to that of the other than
that of any of them to the written art
of an alien race. So with American
letters. While resembling English or French
more than its does Japanese or Tartar, IL yet
has an original and individual character of its
own. The humor of Irving is as distinct
from Lambs as the gentle Elias is different
from Rabelais'. But tho latter is not more
ethncally Gallo or Lambs moro peculiarly
British than lrving's is originally and peou-
liarly American. The American novel has
been written, the American order of novels
has appeared and been classified. 1t is posi-
Bile that ages hence a mongrel race, with the
progressive intellect of the Aryan, the sensual
Imagination of the Semitic, and the grotesque
brutality of the Mongol may bo evolved on
our western plains, and under the name of
American produce literature as composite
and bizarre as itself, but as yet neither the
race nor its letters give any strong assurance
of appearing.
The Knickerbocker history Of New York,
then, is distinotively American work. As
IL is one of the first in order of time of Ameri-
can efforts in general literature, so 1t is one of
the best. 1t is in many respects 1rvings
chev dGuvre. 1t is his passport to immor-
tality, his token of enduring iamo.
From this time on the life of Irving was
busy, industrious one, literarily. His fame
was assured and HIS rewards were generous.
In 1910 he wrote a life of Thomas Campbell; /;
in 1Sl3-1S14 edited the Analytic Magazine I;
went to Europe in 1915, shortly afterwards
sold the manuscript of the Sketch Book " to
Murray and Constable for $1,000, which
they afterwards doubled. In this work
first appeared the immortal Grip Van
WinSlo" and "a Legend of Sleepy Hollow"
In 1891 he published Bracebridge Hall,
or tho Humorists;@ in 1924 Tales of Il
Traveller" in 1923, "History Of the
Life and Voyages ofChristopher Columbus" !"
in 1929 his inimitable Chronicles of the Con-
quest of Granada;" in 1881, the Voyages of
the Companions of Columbus !" in 1882, "The
Alhambra )" in 1885, "a Tour on the Prairies"
and "The Crayon Miscellany" in 1896,
Astoria;" in 1887 "The Adventures of
Margaret Miller Davidson;" 1919, Life of
Oliver Goldsmith )" 1850, "Mahomet and his
Successors" 1855, "wolfert's Roost," and
from 1866 to 1852 his last work, Tho Life
of Washington" Three months after the
publication of the last volume he lay quietly
down to rest, leaving the world mourning in
perfect sincerity around his peaceful couch.
During his lifo from 1920 to 1882 he was
secretary of the American legation in London,
and from 1912 to 1916 was United States min
lister to Spain.
He mover married. In his early manhood
he loved Miss Matilda Hoffman. Her death
prevented their marriage and the tender true
heart was forever faithful to her memory. 1t
is poetical as we'll as a physical fact that he
died of a broken heart.
Irving's works have always been popular.
Over 900 copies were sold during his life,
and since his death about the same number
His intellect possessed the clearness and
purity of his character, while the genial
freshness of his nature, the exquisite refine
ment of his tastes and sentiment. the tender
and feminine delicacy of every fber and his
conscientious love of truth, justice, and right
endeared him to all. He invented the phrase
"the Almighty dollar" but was living ex-
ample that it did not compel or receive his
worship. His life was as pure and as gentle
as his writings, and he went to his grave a
benefactor of his fellows, in whose death tho
world instinctiyely recognized its great loss