The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-05
SLEEPY WASHINGTON IRVING.
He Used to Nod at the Dinner-Table
and Often Fell Asleep.
From the Baltimore American.

FROM Tue lOutJtHlOfe American.
The following description of Washington
Irving's visit to Baltimore and Washington
in 1911 is taken from lecture written by
DR.. John Morris and delivered at Loyola
College on Monday night:
81 remained, he writes, 1.-TWO days in
Baltimore, where was very well treated
and was just getting into very agreeable
society, when the desire to get to Washing
ton induced me to set off abruptly, deferr-
+ ing all enjoyment of Baltimore until nv
return. While there | dined with honest
Coolek, the bookseller. At his table | found
Jarvis, who is in great vogue in Baltimore
painting all the people of note and fashion,
and universally passing for a great vita
fellow of infinite jest; in short, the agreea-
bic rattle | was likewise waited onsby Mr..
Zezier, the French gentleman who has
translated my history of New York. He is
a very pleasant, gentlemanly fellow, and
we were very civil to each other, as you
may suppose. He tells me he has sent his
translation to Paris where l suspect they
will understand and relish it about as much
as they would Scotch haggis and a singed
sheepshead." He thus described his visit to
Mrs. Madlson's drawing ROOM the centre of
fashion an gentility at that day: "Here
was most graciOusly received; found a
crowded collection of great and little men,
of ugly old women and beautiful young
ones, and in ten minutes was hand-and-
glove with half the people in the assemblage.
Mrs. Madison is fine, portly, buxom
dame, who has smile and pleasant word
for everybody. Her sisters Mrs Cults and
Mrs. Washington, are like two merry
wives of Windsor. But, as to Jenny Madi-
son-ah! poor Jemmy-he is but a withered
little apple John" This extract shows the
strong Federal prejudices of that day, from
which Mr.. Irving, with all bis liberality of
opinion on political subjects, was not en-
tirely free. Iii true, he was then a very
young man, and it was the fashion of the
time to speak of President Madison as
Jenny, and to ridicule his personal traits
for the purpose Of bringing him into CON
tempt.
Mr. Irving's habit of nodding at the din
ner table was well-known to his many friends
in society. Disraeli mentions this propensity
in "Vivian Grey" where the waspist and
cynical Vivian writes: "Poor Washington!
poor Washington / knew him well in Lon
don. He always slept at dinner. One day
he was dining at Mr.. Hallam's; they took him
when asleep to Lady jerseys rout and to see
Sieur Godfrey and when he opened his eyes
in the illuminated saloon it was
really quite admirable quite an
Arabian tale" Another anecdote.
confirmatory of this habit of nodding. |
have from the lips of our venerable towns
man. John II. b. Latrobe. Mr.. Latrobe
cherishes great many collections of Irving
He Qrving) was a welcome and honored
guest at Latrobe's fathers house in Wash
ington, during Nj. Madison's administra-
ton. Mr.. Latrobe tells me that in 1882
Mr. Irving paid visit to Baltimore and
was the guest Of the Hon. Louis McLane,
the father of the present Minister to France
Mr. Latrobe arranged a dinner party in
honor Of Mr. Irving He invited the elite
of the city to meet the distinguished
authors Among those invited were such
well-known people of the day as John p.
Kennedy, Charles Fenno Hoffman, both
authors; Christopher Hughes Kit Hughes,
Charles Carroll, father of Ex-Governor Car
roll Mr.. Bonaparte, DR.. Richard S. Stewart
and many wel-known ladies of that time
Mr. Irving led Mrs. LatrObe into the dining
room and sat on her right. Mrs. Latrobe
was very beautiful woman, aud Mr.. Irv-
ing, up to a certain point, appeared 10 be
charmed with her beauty and grace How
ever, her grace and beauty must have
palled, for before the dinner was over Mr..
Irving went fast asleep. The members of
the dinner party, who, of course kept their
ewes fixed on Mr.. Irving, discovered stimuli
taneoGsly that their hero was nodding--a
sincere, earnest, heavy nod. A general
smile passed around among the assembled
guests. There were rcuts in those days, but
our people were too polite to carry off the
Sieur Godfrey in the midst Of his slumbers
to the Adelphi, the fashionable resort at
that day.
Mr.. Latrobe tells me that Irving had a
wonderful memory; that he remembered all
the military anecdotes related to him, and
that in his Life of Washington" he had
utilized all the facts that he had slowed
away
Mr.. Iatrobe wrote him a letter on the APP
pearance OF tho Lie Of Washington"
complimenting him on the accuracy of his
description Of West Point, where Mr.. Lat
robe had been a cadet. He replied to Mr..
Latroba, stating that he had CLEANED all
his facts from conversations with military
men. which be remembered.
The only black hosiery that gives perfect