The American edition of this Sketch-Book appeared in 1819.

Irving's effort to find an English publisher was not immediately successful. Because of the light it throws on his own character, and for the sake of the glimpse it gives of a greater author, Walter Scott, the whole story may be told here, and mainly in Irving's own words, drawn from the preface to the revised edition of 1848. Irving first tried the noted publisher, John Murray, who saw merit in the essays submitted to him, but who declined to publish a volume which he believed would not be successful.

"This was disheartening," writes Irving, "and might have deterred me from any further prosecution of the matter, had the question of republication in Great Britain. rested entirely with me; but I apprehended the appearance of a spurious edition. I now thought of Mr. Archibald Constable as publisher, having been treated by him with much hospitality during a visit to Edinburgh; but first I determined to submit my work to Sir Walter (then Mr.) Scott, being encouraged to do so by the cordial reception I had experienced from him at Abbotsford a few years previously, and by the favourable opinion he had expressed to others of my earlier writings. I accordingly sent him the printed numbers of the Sketch-Book in a parcel by coach, and at the same time wrote to him, hinting that, since I had had the pleasure of partaking of his hospitality, a reverse had taken place in my affairs which made the successful exercise of my pen all-important to me; I begged him, therefore, to look over the literary articles I had forwarded to him, and, if he thought they

would bear European republication, to ascertain whether Mr. Constable would be inclined to be the publisher.

"The parcel containing my work went by coach to Scott's address in Edinburgh; the letter went by mail to his residence in the country. By the very first post I received a reply, before he had seen my work.

6

"I was down at Kelso,' said he, 'when your letter reached Abbotsford. I am now on my way to town, and will converse with Constable, and do all in my power to forward your views - I assure you nothing will give me more pleasure.'

"The hint, however, about a reverse of fortune had struck the quick apprehension of Scott, and, with that practical and efficient good-will which belonged to his nature, he had already devised a way of aiding me."

Scott's plan was the unexpected and rather startling offer to Irving of the editorship of a new weekly periodical about to be started in Edinburgh. The undertaking was to have "somewhat of a political bearing," and Scott was not sure that Irving would like it.

"Yet I risk the question,' added he, 'because I know no man so well qualified for this important task, and perhaps because it will necessarily bring you to Edinburgh. If my proposal does not suit, you need only keep the matter secret, and there is no harm done.

"In a postscript, written from Edinburgh, he adds, 'I am just come here, and have glanced over the SketchBook. It is positively beautiful, and increases my desire to crimp you, if it be possible. Some difficulties there

'To seize forcibly, as a seaman was pressed for a vessel.

always are in managing such a matter, especially at the outset; but we will obviate them as much as we possibly can.'

"The following is from an imperfect draught of my reply, which underwent some modifications in the copy sent:

"I cannot express how much I am gratified by your letter. I had begun to feel as if I had taken an unwarrantable liberty; but, somehow or other, there is a genial sunshine about you that warms every creeping thing into heart and confidence. Your literary proposal both surprises and flatters me, as it evinces a much higher opinion of my talents than I have myself.'

"I then went on to explain that I found myself peculiarly unfitted for the situation offered to me, not merely by my political opinions, but by the very constitution and habits of my mind. My whole course of life,' I observed, 'has been desultory, and I am unfitted for any periodically recurring task, or any stipulated labour of body or mind. I have no command of my talents, such as they are, and have to watch the varyings of my mind as I would those of a weathercock. Practice and training may bring me more into rule; but at present I am as useless for regular service as one of my own country Indians or a Don Cossack.'"

Scott endeavoured to have Constable, the Edinburgh publisher, undertake the work, but before negotiations could be brought to a successful conclusion, Irving published his essays, at his own risk, at the hands of a bookseller. Within a month the bookseller failed, and the sale stopped.

"At this juncture Scott arrived in London. I called to him for help, as I was sticking in the mire, and, more propitious than Hercules, he put his own shoulder to the wheel. Through his favourable representations, Murray was quickly induced to undertake the future publication of the work which he had previously declined. A further edition of the first volume was struck off, and the second volume was put to press, and from that time Murray became my publisher, conducting himself in all his dealings with that fair, open, and liberal spirit which had obtained for him the well-merited appellation of the Prince of Booksellers.

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Thus, under the kind and cordial auspices of Sir Walter Scott, I began my literary career in Europe; and I feel that I am but discharging, in a trifling degree, my debt of gratitude to the memory of that golden-hearted man in acknowledging my obligations to him. But who of his literary contemporaries ever applied to him for aid or counsel that did not experience the most prompt, generous, and effectual assistance !"

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The English edition of the Sketch-Book was published in 1820. It was very successful, and Irving followed it up with Bracebridge Hall in 1822, and Tales of a Traveller in 1824. His work had now brought him into comfortable circumstances so far as money was concerned, and into delightful circumstances so far as friends were concerned. His talents opened all doors to him, and his personality made him always welcome. He was the first American author to win English recognition and approbation. Possibly his success had its drawbacks.

In the mind

of so good a critic as the late Dr. Richard Garnett, of London, Irving's English vogue thwarted to some degree his possibilities as an original writer. There is truth in this observation, for Irving undoubtedly was of that class of authors who seek to please others, rather than to satisfy themselves regardless of praise or blame. And therefore Irving took something of his colour from his surroundings, and these surroundings were, for a long time, English. But it is certainly an open question whether an aggressive Americanism would at that time have won him a hearing, and it is not at all certain that in any surroundings Irving would have been essentially different from what he was. The fact is simply that this man of refined feeling, or sensibility, as it used to be called, found congenial themes during his English residence: had he lived on the western prairies, possibly he might have been stronger and rougher, but possibly he might have seemed bookish and artificial, through inability to translate the abounding new life into terms of romance. We must leave the speculation there.

After his English sojourn, Irving engaged in travel, and, finding Madrid agreeable, made it his home for some years. The literary results of his Spanish residence are the Life of Columbus (1828), followed by the Companions of Columbus, then the Conquest of Granada, then the Alhambra. These volumes show careful study of his themes. In the modern sense of the word, Irving cannot be counted a great historical scholar; rather, he was an accomplished gentleman writing upon historical subjects, and doing it extremely well.

In 1831, a year before his return to America, Irving