Irving College - Irvingiana Yearbook (Mechanicsburg, PA)

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flllxzrpel Qisszrg Q CVLI12 stints nf El1ff1ixrg'n N gfikzirlr ' n11k 215 Qi. gllllzrnilhzx Zag, 'UE 66 O Washington Irving belongs the distinction of being the first of our great writers in general literature. He , was not a great theologian like Jonathan Edwards, nor a practical philosopher and moralist like Franklin, nor a statesman like Jefferson and Hamilton. He was alone all a literary man and his writings belong, in I large measure at least, to the field of belles-lettres. In his most characteristic writings, he aimed not so much at instruction as at entertainment. He achieved that finished excellence of form that at once elevates literature to the classic rank. He was the first American writer to gain general recognition abroad, says a critic, or to use Thackeray's words, Irving was the first ambassador whom the New World of letters sent to the Oldf' Cnr literature has had many ambassadors since, but is doubtful whether any other has ever been more cordially welcomed or more pleasantly remem- bered. As a boy, Irving was fond of visiting new scenes and observing strange characters and manners. He began his travels by tours of discovery into foreign and unknown parts of his native city. His holidays were spent in rambles about the surrounding country, until he was familiar not only with the country, but also with the people's habits and customs, gaining much information that, inafter years, was useful to him in writing. This rambling habit strengthened as he grew older. After becoming familiar with his own country, he went to Europe. As he says, NI visited various parts of my own country, and had I been merely a lover of line scenery, I should have felt little desire to seek elsewhere its gratification, for on no country had the charms of nature been more prodigally lavished. But Europe held forth the charms of storied

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and poetical associations. My country was full of youthful promise: Europe was rich in accumulated treasures of age. It was during one of his visits to Europe that the 4' Sketch Book was written. In speaking of the information that he had gathered while traveling, he says, 4' As it is the fashion for modern tour- ists to travel pencil in hand and bring home their portfolios filled with sketches, I am disposed to get up a few for the en- tertainment of my friends. When, however, I look over my hintsiand memorandums, I have taken down forthe purpose, my heart almost fails me at finding how my idle humor hasled me aside from the great objects studied by every regular traveller who would make a book. I fear Irshall give equal disappointment with an unlucky landscape painter, who had travelled on the Continent, but following the bent of his vagrant inclination, had sketched in nooks, corners and by places. His Sketch-book was accordingly crowded with cottages and landscapes and obscure ruins, but he had neglected to paint, St. Peterls, or the Coliseum, the Cascade of Terni, or the Bay of Naples, and had not a single glacier or volcano in his whole collection? From this, we learn that Irving felt that in giving so many humble scenes of Europe, perhaps he had failed in his purpose. But we find that the Sketch Book H in dealingwith both great and humble things, instructs and entertains andappeals to us in all our moods. Instead of its being a failure, it is a book of much importance. , A The if Sketch Book consists of short stories of varied character. For those who care for the pathetic, there are H The Widow and her Son,'l Rural Funerals and The Pride of the Village. In contrast to these are the humorous ones, U Rip Van Winkle, 4' The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and the Spectre Bridegroomf' There are also biographies and stories that are almost entirely descriptive. In some instances one may find a story that has no connection with another, while again some seem only a continuation uf what has gone before. I To learn the nature of the Sketch Book let us study the plan of it. As it was written in England for American publication, it is but natural that the author should first give an account of his voyage-telling of the various thoughts and feelings that he had in leaving his own country with the uncertainty of returning. He goes on to tell of what one may see and hear on shipboard and finishes with a vivid description of landing in a foreign port. At first reading the sketch of ffRoscoe, following the K' Voyage may seem disconnected, but by .studying it more closely, the connection may be easily traced. One of the first places to which a stranger is taken in Liverpool is the Athe- naum. When Irving visited it, he saw Roscoe, whose appearance so impressed him that it furnished material for this story. A One of the most interesting things about Irving's humorous stories is that what, at first, seems to be the most ter- rible ghost story turns out to be mere fancy. Who does not known of the thrilling account of the headless rider that