and historian
of the early 19th century. He was best known for his short stories
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
" and "Rip Van Winkle
", both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works include biographies of George Washington
, Oliver Goldsmith
and Muhammad
, and several histories of 15th-century Spain dealing with subjects such as Christopher Columbus
, the Moors, and the Alhambra
. Irving also served as the U.S. minister to Spain
from 1842 to 1846.
He made his literary debut in 1802 with a series of observational letters to the Morning Chronicle, written under the pseudonym
Jonathan Oldstyle
.
There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse! As I have often found in travelling in a stagecoach, that it is often a comfort to shift one’s position, and be bruised in a new place.
There is an eloquence in true enthusiasm that is not to be doubted.
How convenient it would be to many of our great men and great families of doubtful origin, could they have the privilege of the heroes of yore, who, whenever their origin was involved in obscurity, modestly announced themselves descended from a god.
His wife "ruled the roost," and in governing the governor, governed the province, which might thus be said to be under petticoat government.
They claim to be the first inventors of those recondite beverages, cocktail, stonefence, and sherry cobbler.
There is in every true woman's heart a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity; but which kindles up, and beams, and blazes in the dark hour of adversity.