and in those days this was accounted a grand tour!

He wandered through England and on the Continent; saw Kemble and Mrs. Siddons; listened to the famous conversationalist, Madame de Staël; and was received by literary men - his own charm of manner proving always contagious. He specially enjoyed Westminster Abbey, St. Peter's, and the Coliseum; and meeting Washington Allston in Rome, he resolved that he, too, would be a painter - but in three days, he changed his mind. When he returned home after an absence of two years, his health was perfectly restored.

Irving never seemed ambitious to enter upon a career, and though when admitted to the bar, he did hang out his shingle at Number 3, Wall Street (his brother John's house), he is not known to have tried a case. He loved society, saying that he preferred to be a champion at tea-parties.

He now became secret partner in his brother's literary ventures and with his friend Paulding began the droll and sparkling and somewhat youthful "Salmagundi " papers, to vex and charm the town"Salmagundi," by the way meaning "a mixture" or "hash." They were written in Addison's style - for Irving, like Franklin, read deeply into Addi

son.

The intention of the infallible editors was "to instruct the young, inform the old, correct the town, and castigate the age."

And they did it

And they did it — and just

at the full tide of success, they suddenly ceased! To-day these papers are a humourous reflection of New York manners, in 1708.

In 1809, appeared Irving's "Knickerbocker History of New York," full of half-humourous, half-real scenes, descriptive of the city, from the beginning of the world to the end of the Dutch dynasty. Among the amusing characters are William the Testy of brilliant achievement; Peter the Headstrong, with silver leg and brimstone-coloured breeches; the central figure being a caricature of Governor Wouter Van Twiller of unutterable ponderings, who represented the "Golden Age" of New Amsterdam history.

This illustrious old gentleman was shut up in himself like an oyster. He seldom spoke, except in monosyllables -but then it was allowed that he rarely said a foolish thing. A model of majesty and lordly grandeur, he was formed as if moulded by the hand of some cunning Dutch statuary.

He ate four meals a day, giving exactly one hour to each; smoked and doubted eight hours; slept the remaining twelve. In council, he presided with state and solemnity, instead of a sceptre, swaying a long Turkish pipe; and during any deliberations of importance, he would sometimes close his eyes for two hours at a time that he might not be disturbed by external objects.

This "Knickerbocker History," combining both fact and fancy, is called by many the first readable

book in American literature. Indeed, some make its publication, in 1809, the true beginning of American literature. It was at once most popular, both here and abroad. All the world laughed except the old Dutch burghers, who were insulted at the treatment of their ancestors; but the humour was so gentle that even with them, amusement soon followed annoyance, and New York was most proud in being invested with traditions like those clinging to Old World cities.

While engaged in this work, a crushing sorrow had come to the young author, in the death of Matilda, the daughter of Judge Hoffman, to whom he was engaged. He bore the blow like a man but he always mourned her and never married. He could not bear, in years to come, even to hear her name mentioned, and always treasured her Bible and Prayer Book. Her steadfast friend, Rebecca Gratz, the beautiful Jewess, Irving later described so enthusiastically to Scott that she became the "Rebecca" of his "Ivanhoe."

Irving was devoted to women and little children, and with his gently modulated voice, delightful smile, and almost courtly manner, he was to them a winning personage. He was much sought for in society, because he added unusual wit and geniality to conversation. One of his special admirers in Washington was Dolly Madison, whose picturesque ways, tactful sympathy, and extraordinary popularity, made her