Irving College - Irvingiana Yearbook (Mechanicsburg, PA)

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The chapter on Indian Traits gives us a beautiful view of the Indian-not merely as a savage, but as a true hearted man. Irving tells us how shamefully the Indians were treated by the whites and that it was but human nature to seek revenge. Should the poet even tell of their wrongs andlwretchedness, of how they were invaded, corrupted, despoiled, driven from their native lands and the sepulchres of their fathers, hunted like Wild beasts about the earth and sent down with violence and butchering to the grave, posterity will either turn with horror and incredulity from the tale or blush with indignation at the inhumanity of their forefathers. ' Having learned something of the nature of the Sketch Book, let us learn the nature of the qualities which make this interesting book of value. Irving chose interesting subjects. It is not only that, but even more, his qualities of style that make it what it is. A His descriptions are so vivid that one cannot fail to get the meaning and to enter into the spirit of the author. For example, in describing a noble1nan's family he says, Nothing could be more simple and unassuming than their appearance. They generally came to church in the plainest equipage and often on foot. The young ladies would stop and converse in the kindest manner with the peasantry, caress the children and listen to the stories of the humble cottagers. Their countenances were open and beautifully fair, with an expression of high refinement, but at the same time a frank cheerfulness and engaging aifability. Their brothers were tall and elegantly formed. They were dressed fashionably but simply-with strict neatness and propriety, but without any mannerism or foppishness. Their whole demeanor was easy and natural, with that lofty grace and noble frankness which bespeak free born souls that have never been checked in their growth by the feelings of inferiority. From this extract, we also notice that Irving's choice of words expresses exactly what is desired. No unfamiliar or ambiguous words are used-it holds true throughout the book that the words used are familiar to almost everyone. It Was not his purpose to use high sounding language, but to express the meaning as simply as possible. V Irving's figures of speech also add to the clearness and to the beauty of his writings. For example, he says, The Indians resembled those wild plants which thrive best in the shades of the forests, but shrink from the land of cultivation and perish beneath the influence of the sun. Again in speaking of woman, he says, As the vine which has long twined its graceful foliage about the oak and been lifted by it into sunshine, will, when the hardy plant is rifted by the thunder- bolt, cling round it with its caressing tendrils and bind up its shattered boughs, so is it beautifully ordered by Providence, that Woman, who is the mere dependent and ornament of man, in happier hours, should be his stay and solace, when smitten with sudden calamity, winding herself into the rugged recesses of his nature, tenderly supporting the drooping head and binding up the broken heart.

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Ichabod Crane encountered in Sleepy Hollow ? And astory of the same character that is no less interesting is the 'L Speetre Bridegroomf' A German baron had arranged with another noble that their children should marry, so upon the day that the groom was to come to claim his bride, a feast was prepared to celebrate the great occasion. Everything was prepared but the groom failed to arrive. It so happened that the groom had met an old friend of his. As they went on their way together he told him of his intended marriage, but before they arrived at the castle, they were attacked by robbers and the groom was killed. His friend went on to the castle intending to tell the sad news, but the baron thinking the groom had come, would not hear his explanation. The friend finally realizing that he was mistaken for the groom and wishing to avoid further complications, impersonated the spirit of the groom. At last he succeeded in saying that the must go to Westminster Cathedral. In a sepulchral voice, he said, 'I The worms, the worms, I am a dead man. I have been slain by robbers-my body lies at Wtirtzburg-at midnight I am to be buried-the grave is waiting for me-I must keep my ap- pointment,'l and off he dashed on his charger. Of course it was thought that they had entertained a ghost. In a few days the daughter disappeared, supposedly carried off by the gobblin. Soon the bride and groom returned, the mistake was explained and everyone was glad to know that the groom was not a spectre at all. This story, although exceedingly hu- morous and interesting, is merely entertaining. Others are instructive and helpful. Perhaps the stories best known both in England and America are the series on the English Christmas. He des- cribes Christmas as, The season of regenerated feeling--the season for kindling not merely the fire of hospitality in the hall, but the genial flame of charity in the heart, and in speaking of its influence he says, Stranger and sojourner as I am in the land, though for me no social hearth may blaze, no hospitable roof throw open its doors, nor warm grasp of friend- ship welcome me at the threshold, yet I feel the influence of the season beaming into my soul from the happy looks of those around me. Surely happiness is reflective like the light of heaven and every countenance bright with smiles and glowing with innocent enjoyment is a mirror transmitting to others the rays of a supreme and ever-shining benevolence. He who can turn churlishly away from contemplating the felicity of his fellow-beings and can sit doWn,darkling and repining in his loneliness, when all around is joyful, may have his moments of strong excitement and selfish gratification, but he wants the genial and social sympathies which constitute the charm of a merry Christmas. The rest of the series consists of the Stage Coachl' telling of the people's going home to spend Christmas, U Christmas Eve, Christmas Day ll and the Christmas Dinner. They not only entertain us but give us valuable information concerning the Way Christmas was celebrated in mediaeval days and fill us with the beautiful spirit of Christmas. In writing of subjects that appeal to English people may it not be that English and American interests have been drawn close together.

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Although we see the worth of his choice of words and phrasing, the beauty of his descriptions and his figures of speech, let us not forget the importance of Irving's deep sympathy with human nature and his own experience. Was it not this sympathy that led him to write of the grief of the poor widow and had it not been for his own experience could he have written The Broken Heart as he did? He loved once in his life, but the woman whom he loved died. This sorrow influenced many of his writings, but it did not make them bitter. It rather made him more ready to sympathize with others, as Thackeray says, Does not his very cheerfulness of his after life add to the pathos of that untold story? To grieve always was not in his nature, or when he had his sorrow to bring all the world in to condole with him and bemoan it. In publishing the second volume of the Sketch Book, Irving determined to govern his writings by the opinions on the first: One kindly advised him to avoid the ludicrous, another to shun the pathetic, a third assured him that he was tolerable at description, but cautioned him to leave narrative alone, while a fourth declared that he had a pretty knackof turning a story and was really entertaining when in a perusive mood, but was grievously mistaken if he imagined himself to possess a spirit of humor. Thus perplexed by the advice of his friends, who each in turn closed some partic- ular path, but left him all the world beside to range in, he found that to follow all their counsels would, in fact, be to stand still, so he decided, as he says, 'fTo ramble on as he had begun and written for different humors, it would not be expected that anyone would be pleased with the whole g but that if it should contain something to suit each reader, its end would be completely answered. Therefore from Irving's own words we see that by following others' advice, nothing would have been accomplished, but by using his individuality we have a book that has become famous on both sides of the Atlantic. :sw ft' W 'Pk ' 'il xl .03 'SQJQZ . N C inf ,,, 1. -85-