On the 27th of December, Mr. Irving received a letter from Col. Aspinwall, informing him that he had made an arrangement with Murray, for the purchase of the Chronicles of Granada: 2,000 guineas, at long dates. "I have concluded everything with Mr. Murray," writes that gentleman, Dec. 12. "He gives you your own price, but the notes are to be at eight, twelve, sixteen, twenty and twenty-four months, from January 10, 1829; the last note for £500, and all the rest for £400 each. The assignment is to be exactly like the last in terms, so that the property in the copyright will remain with you till the notes are paid."

In noticing this arrangement in a letter to Peter, of December 27, Washington writes:

You see, therefore, that the colonel has gone for the whole, and got me the outside price of 2,000 guineas. As to the length of the dates it is a matter of minor importance; between the old funds lying in the hands of the colonel and what I have in the hands of my banker at Madrid, I shall be able to get on until within reach of the first instalment, and shall prob ably have other funds arising, as I shall have to comply with the carnest request of an old literary friend, Allan Cunningham, to furnish him with an article for a Christmas work, to be illustrated by Newton, Leslie, Wilkie, &c. He offers me for a short sketch and tale, or for either, any sum I may ask, from £50 to £100. His object is, of course, to get my name in the list of his contributors. Murray also is very anxious for me to fur nish him with a small popular volume.

I close the history of this year of the author's life with the following memoranda from his diary, beginning on the day succeeding the date of the foregoing

extract.

December 28th.-Write a little at Don Roderick-evening at home.

29th.-Write a little at Don Roderick-could not work freely-went to Clerigo to purchase books.

30th.-Incapable of working-change my room-evening at the opera-Crocciato-introduced to the Marchioness of Arco Hermosa, daughter of Mr. Bohl.

Wednesday 31st.-Call this morning with Mr. and Mrs. Hipkins on the Marchioness of Arco Hermosa-make a long visit. The Marchioness relates many village anecdotes of the village of Dos Hermanos-return home and make a note of two of them-evening at home.

Thus ends the year-tranquilly.—It has been one of much literary application, and, generally speaking, one of the most tranquil in spirit of my whole life. The literary success of the History of Columbus has been greater than I anticipated, and gives me hopes that I have executed something which may have greater duration than I anticipate for my works of mere imagi nation. I look forward without any very sanguine anticipations, but without the gloom that has sometimes oppressed me. The only future event from which I promise myself any extraordi nary gratification is the return to my native country, which, I trust, will now soon take place.

CHAPTER XXII.

STILL AT SEVILLE-LITERARY PLANS AND PURSUITS-LETTER TO PETER-LETTER TO PRINCE DOLGORGUKI-RECEIVES DIPLOMA OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF HISTORY-LETTER TO PETER-THE BOLIVAR SHARES, AND WHAT BECAME OF THEM-LETTER TO ALEXANDER H. EVERETT-THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONHIS IMPRESSIONS OF ANDREW JACKSON-REASON FOR ADOPTING A NOM DE GUERRE FOR THE CONQUEST OF GRANADA-EXTRACTS FROM DIARY-LETTER TO PETER-LONGING DESIRE TO RETURN TO AMERICA-UNPUBLISHED CHRONICLES-LETTERS TO PETER-PUBLICATION OF CHRONICLES OF GRANADALETTER TO ALEXANDER II. EVERETT - LETTER TO PETER-ABOUT TO LEAVE SEVILLE FOR GRANADA.

THE period of Mr. Irving's sojourning at Seville,

where he had been since the third of November, was continued through the months of January, February, March and April; a visit to the Barbary States which he had meditated in the interim, having failed of its accomplishment. In pursuance of the purpose which I keep steadily in view, to make the author his own biographer, I intermingle some passages from his letters and diary, which will illustrate in his own words his life and literary plans and pursuits during these four months.

[To Peter Irving, at IIavre.]

MY DEAR BROTHER:

SEVILLE, Jan. 3, 1829.

I shall endeavor to get up the chronicle of the invasion as soon as possible. The fag at the abridgment has rather thrown me out of the writing mood for a little while, but the fit is reviving.

* *

*

In my last I mentioned my having received a letter from Allen Cunningham, begging me to furnish him with a short sketch and tale, or either one, for a yearly miscellany to be published next autumn, similar to the German almanacs. I have not yet replied, for I fear to crowd myself with work. Yet I remember Cunningham for a worthy, pleasant, clever man. He is a friend of Wilkie's, and his miscellany is to be illustrated by engravings from Wilkie, Newton & Leslie. I shall endeavor to prepare something for him.* I feel anxious to make the most of my present sunshine, but the very anxiety agitates me, and I feel at times a little perplexed what to take hold of.

[DIARY.]

January 3d.-Write part of story of Enchanted Soldier of the Alhambra.

Wednesday 7th.-Finished in a lame way the story of Enchanted Soldier.

Saturday 10th.-Write a little at the tales of the Alhambra -write to Prince Dolgorouki and to Don Diego Clemencia.

MY DEAR DOLGOROUKI

SEVILLE, Jan. 10, 1829.

I am very greatly obliged to you for your attention in forwarding me the diploma of the Royal Academy of History,

* He sent Cunningham "The Widow's Ordeal."

and will thank you to remit the enclosed reply to Don Diego Clemencia, the Secretary. * * * I feel very sensibly the compliment which the Royal Academy has paid me in making me a member, and should like to know to what member's proposition I am indebted for the measure.*

I fear my chronicle of the Conquest of Granada will not answer the high anticipations you appear to entertain of it. I have been hazarding a kind of experiment in literature, and the success is in some degree a matter of chance. The Conquest of Granada has hitherto been a fertile theme for tales of romance and chivalry; in the account I have given of it, there is nothing of love or gallantry, and the chivalry is the chivalry of actual life, as it existed at the time, exhibited in rugged and daring enterprises and rough, hard fighting. I have depicted the war as I found it in the old chronicles, a stern, iron conflict, more marked by bigotry than courtesy, and by wild and daring exploits of fierce soldiery, than the gallant contests of courteous cavaliers. However, the work will soon be published, and then you will be able to judge of its merits; but do not indulge in high expectations nor form any romantic idea of its nature.

I am sorry I cannot give a good account of myself for some weeks past. I have done little or nothing. I believe I overworked myself in preparing the Abridgment, a great part of which I had also to copy in a hurry to get it ready for a ship about sailing. For some time after I was quite out of order, and was threatened with a return of the malady that once afflicted me in consequence of a similar fit of vivid excitement

* The proposition came from Navarrete.