Richard Killgore, age 12, of Santa Maria, California, for his question:
Who was Washington Irvine?
No doubt you have your favorite American writer, one who makes you proud to share with readers of other countries. Andy's own personal choice is Washington Irving and countless people, young and old, all over the world agree. He was the first American writer to win fame in Europe and it was that warm hearted fame that endures from generation to generation.
Somehow we are led to believe that most of our favorite stories were written in modern times for the movies. The truth is, many of them were written to be read in books and adapted for movies productions much later. The original authors tend to get forgotten. For example, the original Dr. Doolittle Stories and Bambi, The Swiss Family Robinson and Snow White were all written long before they became movies. And, by the way, that charming, humorous Rip Van Winkle character was created by the charming, humorous writer, Washington Irving.
He was born in New York City on April 3, 1783, the youngest of 11 doting brothers and sisters. He shared his boyhood days with the city's population of 25,000 English and Dutch settlers. And he loved to wander far and wide making friends with the Dutch farmers. His favorite place was Sleepy Hollow, near Tarrytown, N.Y. Here he listened with amazement and amusement to tall tales and fantastic folklore and later used these legends to create the immortal characters of sleepy old Rip Van Winkle and scared old Ichabod Crane.
Washington Irving suffered from ill health and also lost the true love of his life. But no tragedy showed on his round, gently smiling face with its neatly brushed halo of medium long curly hair. No tragedy scarred the humor of his charming and courteous character. After more than a century, these warm qualities still capture the hearts of his readers. But there was more to his greatness. From boyhood throughout his life, Irving loved and respected the works of other great writers. He studied their poetry and essays to learn the top notch skills of expressing his thoughts in readable words with elegant style.
Washington Irving spent many years of his life in Europe, first for his health and later as minister to Spain. The whole world knows and loves his folklore tales of Sleepy Hollow, but he also wrote essays, biographies and accounts of history. These more serious works also reveal the courtesy and humor of his kindly character. His critical political essays are gentle satires. His tales of Spain's Alhambra palace are full of delightful characters including knights and magicians, captive princesses and talking doves. He wrote the life story of Columbus. And also the life story of George Washington. After all, America's first author of world renown was named for America's first president.
Matilda Hoffman, Irving's fiancee, died and though he had several later love affairs, he never married. When his writing brought success. he bought a home near his beloved Sleepy Hollow and named it Sunnyside. There, right by the road where Ichabod Crane was haunted by the headless horseman, he spent his last years in the company of his nieces. In 1859, Washington Irving set down his quill pen for the last time. But we sensible folk know that such a charming character could never really die.