Four Famous American Writers: Washington Irving, Edgar Allan Poe, James Russell Lowell, Bayard Tayl | Page 8

Guerriere, but as the expedition
was delayed on account of the escape of Napoleon from Elba, he had
them again brought ashore, and finally gave up his plan of going with
Decatur. His mind was set on visiting Europe, however, and he
immediately took passage for Liverpool in another vessel. Little did he
think that he was not to return for seventeen years.
One of Irving's married sisters was living in Birmingham, and his
brother Peter was in Liverpool managing the business in which he was
a partner. Soon after Washington's arrival, however, Peter fell ill, and
the younger brother was obliged to take charge of affairs. He found a
great many bills to pay, and very little money with which to pay them.
He was now beginning to face some of the stern realities of life. He
worked hard; but the black cloud of ruin came nearer and nearer. Other
difficulties were added to those they already had to face, and finally, in
1818, the brothers were obliged to go into bankruptcy.
It was now absolutely necessary that Irving should earn his living in
some way. His brothers procured him an appointment at Washington;
but to their astonishment he declined it and said he had made up his
mind to live by his pen.
He immediately went to London and set to work on the "Sketch Book,"
and during the next dozen years wrote the greater number of his more
famous works.

CHAPTER IX
FRIENDSHIP WITH SIR WALTER SCOTT

While he was worrying over the failure of his business, Irving was
fortunate enough to make some distinguished literary friendships. He
had already helped to introduce Thomas Campbell's works in the
United States, and had written a biography of Campbell; one of the first
things he did, therefore, after reaching Liverpool, was to go to see the
English poet.
It was not until a little later that he became acquainted with Sir Walter
Scott, who was the literary giant of those times. In 1813 Henry
Brevoort, one of Irving's most intimate boyhood friends, had presented
to Scott a copy of the "History of New York," and Scott had written a
letter of thanks in which he said, "I have been employed these few
evenings in reading the annals of Diedrich Knickerbocker aloud to Mrs.
S, and two ladies who are our guests, and our sides have been
absolutely sore with laughing. I think, too, there are passages which
indicate that the author possesses powers of a different kind."
Irving, too, had been a great admirer of Scott's "Lady of the Lake."
Campbell gave him a letter of introduction to the bard, and in a letter to
his brother, Irving gives a delightful description of his visit to
Abbotsford, Scott's home.
"On Saturday morning early," says he, "I took a chaise for Melrose; and
on the way stopped at the gate of Abbotsford, and sent in my letter of
introduction, with a request to know whether it would be agreeable for
Mr. Scott to receive a visit from me in the course of the day. The
glorious old minstrel himself came limping to the gate, and took me by
the hand in a way that made me feel as if we were old friends; in a
moment I was seated at his hospitable board among his charming little
family, and here I have been ever since.... I cannot tell you how truly I
have enjoyed the hours I have passed here. They fly by too quickly, yet
each is loaded with story, incident, or song; and when I consider the
world of ideas, images, and impressions that have been crowded upon
my mind since I have been here, it seems incredible that I should only
have been two days at Abbotsford."
And here is Scott's impression of Irving: "When you see Tom
Campbell," he writes to a friend, "tell him, with my best love, that I

have to thank him for making me known to Mr. Washington Irving,
who is one of the best and pleasantest acquaintances I have made this
many a day."
When the "Sketch Book" was coming out in the United States, and
Irving was thinking of publishing it in England, he received some
advice and assistance from Scott; and finally Scott persuaded the great
English publisher Murray to take it up, even after that publisher had
once declined it. On this occasion Irving wrote to a friend as follows:
"He (Scott) is a man that, if you knew, you would love; a right
honest-hearted, generous-spirited being; without vanity, affectation, or
assumption of any kind. He enters into every passing scene or passing
pleasure with the interest and simple enjoyment of a child."

CHAPTER X
"RIP VAN WINKLE"
Irving's most famous work is undoubtedly the "Sketch Book"; and