Washington Irving
...nd William’s brother- in- law James Paulding, together they wrote Salmagundi, a series of poems and essays. His popularity was enhanced even more when he came out with his next work, The History of New York, by Irving’s comic creation, the Dutch Dietrich Knickerbocker (1). Irving’s success in social life and in literature was changed when his fiancée, Matilda Hoffmanm died at the age of seventeen (3). But through this tragedy Irving’s success continued and he wrote The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon (1819 through 1820), a book full of stories which allowed him to become a full time writer. The collections most famous stories are based on German folktales and these include The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, about a teacher’s encounter with the legendary headless horseman (1). And Rip Van Winkle a story about a man who falls asleep for twenty years, both these stories are considered classics in American literature. Around 1822 Washington Irving came out with the sequel, The Sketch Book, Bracebridge Hall (5). Soon after this work was published Irving’s mother was taken ill and died just days after (2, 3). Irving felt that there was nothing to go back for, so he stayed in Europe. For seventeen years he stayed there (from 1815 to 1832) and continued to write. In 1815 Irving went to England to help his brother by being a silent partner, but after a series of losses the company went bankrupt in 1817 (1). Subsequently he moved to Paris, and then after a romantic interlude with Mary Shelley he settled in Spain (4). He then worked in the U.S. Embassy for financial reasons from1826 to 1829. While living in Spain he wrote Columbus, Conquest for Granada (1829) and the Companions of Columbus, all based on careful research. In 1832 Irving returned to America with a hearty greeting as being the first American author to become internationally known. He then went about touring the United States, stopping in Washington to have dinner with President Andrew Jackson. Shortly after he published yet another book, The Canyon Miscellany and A Tour Through the Prairies. His friends, who also accompanied him on his journey were Henry Leavitt Ellsworth, whom Irving described as “a man of a thousand occupations.”, and Charles Joseph Latrobe who wrote an interesting narrative about the tour. In 1836 Irving purchased a house (named Sunnyside) in Tarrytown in New Yo...