An American Treasure: Washington Irving’s Original Manuscript, Not Only His Final Piece of the Life of Washington But His Last Published Piece, Summing Up His Pride in Washington, His Goals in the Work, and His Career

This was published in the work as the Preface to the final book; Written after the completion of the book and included and sent along with the final, the concluding touches on a shining literary career

 

The statement of principle, written for publication in virtual letter form, for a work of great importance in American literature and biography

 

Irving: The Work is “the crowning effort of my literary career.”

 

Washington Irving, Literary Giant and First American Professional Author & Biographer

For Washington Irving, telling the story of George Washington was a lifelong passion. Irving’s mother named the future writer after Washington and took the boy to the hero’s first inauguration in 1789, where the President supposedly blessed him. It is said among the first things Irving ever wrote was on George Washington, whose biography he hoped one day to write.

Washington Irving’s career as a writer started in journals and newspapers. He published Salmagundi (1807-08), and from 1812 -1814 was an editor of Analetic Magazine in Philadelphia and New York. In 1809 appeared Irving’s comic “A History of New York”, by the imaginary Dietrich Knickerbocker, who was supposed to be an eccentric Dutch-American scholar. The book became part of New York folklore. Irving’s success continued with “The Sketch Book”, a collection of stories that included the short stories for which he is so well known, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle”. The success of these stories allowed him to become America’s first professional writer, earning his living from the craft of literature.

In 1828 he wrote his notable biography of Columbus, “The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus,” which led the Spanish to elect him to the Royal Academy. In 1842 President John Tyler appointed him Ambassador to Spain, and he served in that position until 1845.

After returning from Spain, Irving researched and wrote his great 5 volume magnum opus, his immortal “The Life of George Washington”, which was published from 1855-59. He died just a few months later. It is perhaps the first great American biography and he the first prominent American biographer. As such it deserves a place in the literary history of the United States.

In April 1859 Irving completed his “Life of Washington.” It was the last literary work he would ever write and a book of monumental importance, as he died just seven months later. Perhaps he had a premonition, as in the famous Preface to Volume 5, he thanks the public for its acceptance of his work for over half a century, resigns his last volume to its fate, and warmly speaks of the pleasure preparing this biography of Washington has given him. Again, he speaks for himself.

“The present volume completes a work to which the author had long looked forward as the crowning effort of his literary career. The idea of writing a life of Washington entered at an early day into his mind. It was especially pressed upon his attention nearly thirty years ago while he was in Europe, by a proposition of the late Mr. Archibald Constable, the eminent publisher of Edinburgh, and he resolved to undertake it as soon as he should return to the United States, and be within reach of the necessary documents. Various circumstances occurred to prevent him from carrying this resolution into prompt effect. It remained, however, a cherished purpose of his heart, which he has at length, though somewhat tardily, accomplished.

“The manuscript for the present volume was nearly ready for the press some months since, but the author, by applying himself too closely in his eagerness to finish it, brought on a nervous indisposition, which unfitted him for a time for the irksome but indispensable task of revision. In this he has been kindly assisted by his nephew, Pierre Munro Irving, who had previously aided him in the course of his necessary researches, and who now carefully collated the manuscript with the works, letters, and inedited documents from which the facts had been derived. He has likewise had the kindness to superintend the printing of the volume, and the correction of the proof sheets. Thus aided, the author is enabled to lay the volume before the public.

“How far this, the last labor of his pen, may meet with general acceptation is with him a matter of hope rather than of confidence. He is conscious of his own short- comings and of the splendid achievements of oratory of which the character of Washington has recently been made the theme. Grateful, however, for the kindly disposition which has greeted each successive volume, and with a profound sense of the indulgence he has experienced from the public through a long literary career, now extending through more than half a century, he resigns his last volume to its fate, with a feeling of satisfaction that he has at length reached the close of his task, and with the comforting assurance that it has been with him a labor of love, and as such has to a certain degree carried with it its own reward. Washington Irving. Sunnyside, April 1859.”

Other manuscripts of Washington Irving are unsigned and fragmentary and situated in the middle of other sections, making this unique in our experience. It is signed, complete as a section, and a great summation of Irving’s work and intent.