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Provinces of Spain, and after staying a fortnight in Paris, he arrived in London early in October, 1829. At first he was afraid his diplomatic duties would be a disagreeable interruption to his literary vocation, but found Mr. McLane was desirous to make these duties as little onerous as possible, though they still interfered with the progress of his plans. He was much gratified, too, at receiving, in April, 1830, from the Royal Society of Literature one of the two medals annually placed at their disposal by the King. The other having been awarded to Hallam, author of "The Middle Ages." In June, 1831, he was further honoured by the University of Oxford awarding him the LL.D. Degree. Mr. McLane having received permission to return to America, Irving was appointed Chargé d'Affaires. On the 20th of September, he was able to retire from the Legation, and in the same month he had his last interview with Scott, in London; after which he spent some time with his sister at Birmingham, and in company with Mr. Van Buren, the new U.S. Minister, visited Newstead Abbey, and various celebrated places in the Midland counties. Early in 1832, he edited the poems of W. C. Bryant, and procured their publication in London, by Mr. Andrews. In March, Colburn and Bentley undertook to publish "Tales of the Alhambra," in two vols., duplicate Manuscripts having been previously sent to America. Irving had long been anxious to return to America, and embarked at Havre, April 11th, arriving in NewYork. May 21st, 1832. His reception was most

cordial, and the delight with which he renewed his acquaintance with his native country unbounded. About three weeks after his arrival, "Tales of the Alhambra" was published in America, by Messrs. Carey and Lea, Philadelphia, having been previously published in London, and also in France. Irving spent some time in travelling, during which he gathered matter for his "Tour on the Prairies," which formed the first volume of the "Crayon Miscellany." The publication in London being about a month previous to its appearance in America. The second volume was published in London, May 1st, 1835, and in America, May 30th of the same year, and contained Abbotsford, and Newstead Abbey. About this time he purchased Woolfert's Roost, then a small, stone, Dutch cottage, afterwards enlarged, and re-named Sunnyside. In addition to this purchase, he made some investments in wild land, but, with the exception of one, they were not very successful; causing him, indeed, some financial embarrassment which, however, only spurred him on to increased literary activity. "Astoria"

was published in October, 1836, by Bentley, in London, and Carey and Lee, in Philadelphia. This work was undertaken at the request of John Jacob Astor, who had founded the Colony of Astoria, at the mouth of the Columbia river, and who supplied the author with much material for the work, consisting of letters, journals, verbal narratives, &c. It was favourably received on both sides the Atlantic, and was soon after supplemented by another work, entitled "The

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Adventures of Captain Bonneville, U.S.A., in the Rocky Mountains of the far West." In June, 1838, Irving was called on to meet one of the severest blows of his life in the death of his cherished brother Peter, who had for some time been domiciled at Sunnyside. He was deeply affected at this bereavement, which followed so soon after the decease of his brother John, and to rid himself of the melancholy feeling, he began the "History of the Conquest of Mexico," which, as a pendant to " Columbus," had long been a favourite theme with him, and he had not only commenced the work, but had made a rough draft to form the ground-work of the first volume, when he learnt that Mr. W. H. Prescott, who had become popular through his "History of Ferdinand and Isabella," was engaged on the same subject, and he at once gave up his own work in the handsomest manner, and left the field open to Prescott, giving him also valuable information on the subject, and this too at a time when he had relied on the produce of this work to recruit his finances, which had somewhat suffered from his unremunerative investments in land. Losing his subject in this way, he became a contributor to the "Knickerbocker Magazine," and also wrote a biography of Goldsmith, for 'Harper's Family Library." In 1841, he published a biography of Miss Margaret Davidson, the copyright of which he transferred to her mother, reserving merely the right to publish it at any time in connection with his other writings. Early in 1842, he was astounded at receiving

the intimation that he was appointed Minister to the Court of Madrid, and though it troubled him to leave his delightful home and family connections at Sunnyside, the appointment was made in such a handsome manner, and so unanimously approved, that he at once determined to accept it. Previous to his departure, he presided at the dinner given to Charles Dickens, in NewYork, and though his speech in proposing the health of the guest was very short, it was most successful. On the 10th of April, 1842, he left America, and landed at Bristol on the 30th; visited London and Paris, where he was cordially received by his old friends, and arrived at Madrid, July 25th. He had an audience of the Regent Espartero, and was presented to the young Queen, then nearly twelve years of age.

During Irving's mission, Spain was the scene of continual political convulsions, which harassed and rendered him incapable of literary work. He sent in his resignation in the latter end of 1845, and in July, 1846, he took his leave of Madrid, and after a brief sojourn with his sister in Birmingham, returned to America, and his much valued home at Sunnyside, which he again enlarged, superintending the work himself. In 1848, he entered into an arrangement with George P. Putnam for the republication of a uniform revised edition of all his works, on terms which proved equally beneficial to both author and publisher, as the sale for republished books was unprecedented. Irving, in the meanwhile, was occupying himself with "The Life of Washing

ton," but laid it aside to commence an enlarged "Life of Goldsmith," which was published by Mr. Putnam in 1848, and followed in 1849 by the first volume of the "Life of Mahomet," the second volume following in 1850; both had an extensive sale, and were most favourably received by the literati. Nothing further appeared from his pen but "Wolfert's Roost," published early in 1855, the title of which was derived from the name originally given to Sunnyside, the author's residence. The "Roost, or Rest of Wolfert Acker, one of the privy counsellors of the renowned Peter Stuyvesant." In 1848, Irving was much disturbed at the contemplated desecration of Sunnyside by the railway, projected along the eastern bank of the Hudson, which, with all its noise and unsightliness at his very door almost, he feared, would entirely destroy the peculiar charms for which he had chosen the spot-its quiet and retirement. It was, however, useless to rebel, and the plan once settled upon, he began in his accustomed way to make the best of it. It was, however, determined to carry the line a little way out into the river, and while he was spared the annoyance of having his grounds destroyed, the trees along the bank formed a screen, that he hoped with a little care, would keep the traffic out of view, though they could not shut out the sound of the " diabolical steamtrumpet." During the first feelings of annoyance, he could not help wishing "he had been born when the world was finished; " and declared his belief, that "if the Garden of Eden was now on

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