Year: 1860

The discourse on the Life and Genius of Wash


ington Irving, delivered by VIM. Cullen BRYANT


before the New York Historical Society on Tues


day evening, was masterly delineatien of the per-


sonal traits and literary career of the ilusUrous


American author. With generous appreciation


of Mr.. Irving's position in literature, and cordial


sympathy with the virtues that rendered him the


object of such affectionate homage from his coun-


trymen, the tribute of Mr. Bryant combined an ex-


quisie beauty of expression and wealth of poetic


illustration, which gives it prominent place among


the most admirable specimens of eloquent and Just


eulogiums. We have space only for the following


concluding, portion of the discourse:


Although Irving had reached an age beyond


which life is rarely prolonged, the news of his


death was everywhere received with profound


sorrow. The whole country mourned, but the grief


was most deeply felt in his immediate neighbor-


hood; the little children wept for the loss of their


good friend. When the day of his funeral arrived


the people gathered from far and near to attend it;


this capital poured forth its citizens the trains on


the railway wer" crowded, and MULTITUDE, like a


mass meeting, but reverend silent, moved through


the streets of the neghborng village, which had


been dressed in the embems of mourning, and clus-


tered about the church and the burial ground. 1t


was the first day of December; the pleasant Indian


summer of our climate had been prolonged far be-


yOn1 its usual date the shone with his softest


splendor, and the elements were hushed into per-


feet calm it was like one of the bandest DAYS of


October. The hills and forests the meadows and


waters which Irving had loved seemed listening, in


that quiet atmosphere the solemn funeral SER


vice read. 1t was read over the remains of one


whose life had well prepared his spirit for its new


stage Of being. Irving did not aspire to be theo-


Logan, but his heart deeply penetrated With


the better part of religion, and he had sought


humbly to initiate the example of the Great Teach


of faith That amiabe character which


makes itself manifest in the writings of Irving,


was seen in all his daily actions. He was ever


nU IN In EInhn fanIap pf hat fnplfr g


others, carefully Just, but leaning to the mer-


citul side of justice, averse from strife, and mod


est that the world never ceased to wonder how it
should have happened that one so much praised
should have gained so little assurance. He envied
mans success, he sought to detract from no mans
merits, but he was acutey sensitive both to praise


and to blame-sensitive to such degree that


an untavOrable criticism of any of his works


would almost persuade him that they were


worthless as the critic represented them.


He thought so little of himself that he


could never comprehend why it was that


he should be the object of curiosity or reverence.


From the time that he began the composition of


the ''Sketch Book" his whole life was the life of
an author. His habits of composition were, how
ever, by no means regular. When he was in the


vein, the periods would literally stream from his
pen; at other times he would scarcely write any
thing. For two years after the failure of his
brothers at Liverpool he found it almost impossible
to write a line. He was throughout life early
riser, and, when in the mood would write all the
morning and till late in the day, wholly engrOssed
with his subject. In the evening he ready for
any cheerful pastime, in which he took part with
an animation almost amounting to high spirits.
These intervals of excitement and intense labor,
sometimes lasting for weeks, were succeeded by
languOr, and at times by depression Of spirits and
for months the pen would lie untouched; even to
answer letter at those times irksome task.
In the evening he wrote but Kery rarely, knowing
so, at least, infer-that no habit makes severer
demands upon the nervous system than this. 1t
was owing, doubt not, to this prudent husband |
ing of his powers, along with his somewhat absti-
nent habits and the exercise which he took every
day, that he able to preserve unimpaired to so
late period the faculties employed in original |
composition. He has been a vigorous walker and |
fearless rider, and in his declining years he drove
out daily, not only for the sake of the open air
ard motion, but to refresh his mind with the aspect
of nature. One of his favOrite recreatiOns was |
listening to music, of which he an indugent |
critic, and he contrved to be pleased and |
soothed by strains less artfully modulated
than fastidiOus ears apt to require. His |
facility in writing and the charm of his style |
were owing to very early practice, the reading of
good authors, and the native elegance of his mind;
and not, in my opinion, to any special study |
of the graces of manner or any anxious care in the
use OF terms and phrases. Words and cOmbina- |
tions of words are sometimes found his writings
to which fastidous taste might object; but these |
do not prevent his style from being one of the most |
agreeable in the whole range of our literature. 1t
is transparent as the light, Sweetly m0dulated un
affected, the native expression of fertile fancy
bengnant temper, and mind which, delighting in
the noble and beautiful, turned involuntarily away
from their opposies. His peculiar humOr was, in
great measure, the offspring of this constitution of
his mind. This "fancful playing with common
things" Mr.. Dana calls it, is never coarse-never
tainted with grossness, and always in harmony
with better sympathies. 1t not only tinged his
writings, but overfowed in his delightful conversa-
tion. ! have thus set before you, my friends, with
such measure of ability as | possess, a rapid and
imperfect sketch of the life and genius of Wash
ington Irving. Other hands will yet give the
world bOlder, more vivid and exact, more
distinctive portrature. In the meantime when |
consider for how many years he stood before the
world author with still increasing fame
half a century in this most changefu of centuries
| cannot hesitate to predict for him deathess
renown. Since he began to write, empires have
risen and passed away; mighty captains have ap-
peared on the stage of the world, performed their
part, and been called to their account; wars have
been fought and ended, which have changed the
destinies of the human race. New arts have been
invented and adopted, and have pushed the old out
of use; the household economy OF half mankind has
undergone a revolution. Science has learned new
dialect and forgotten the old; the chemist of 1900
would be a vain babbler among his brethren of the
present day, and would in turn become bewildered
in the attempt to understand them. Nation utters
speech to nation in words that pass from realm to
realm with the speed of light. Distant countries
have been made neighbOrs; the Atlantic Ocean has
become narrow firth, and the Old World and the
New shake hands across it.; the East and the West
look in at each others windows. The new inven-
tions bring new caamites and men perish in crowds
by the recoil of their own devices. War has learned
more frightful modes of havock, and armed himself
with deadlier weapons armies borne to the
battle field on the wings of the wind, and dashed
against each other, destroyed with infinite blood
she'd We grow giddy with these rapid and cease
less muaons the earth seems to reel under eur feet
and we turn to those who write like Irving for
that we are still in the world into
which we were born; we read and are queted and
consoled. In his pages that the language
of the heart never becomes obsolete; that Truth
and Good and Beauty, the offspring of God, are
not subject to the changes which beset the inven-
tiOns of men. We become satisfied that he whose
works were the delight of our fathers, and are
still ours, will be read with the same pleasure by
those who come after us. If it were becoming,
at this time and in this assembly, to address our
departed friend if in his immediate presence,
i unnld fEnrnman hn hast anfarnd |