and beautiful review of my writings. I do not know how you can imagine that there are any passages to which I could take objection. You have, indeed, in giving a discriminating piece of criticism, pointed out certain errors into which I have run, and deficiencies which are incident to my nature; it was your duty to do so. I am conscious of the truth of your remarks, and in making them you enhance the value and the authority of the exuberant encomiums you have passed upon me. A mere friendly eulogium would have had no weight with the public, and would have been very unsatisfactory to myself. Having spoken your mind freely about my defects, I feel the more confidence in your praises, and after making all due allow. ance for the effects of personal intimacy and kindness, I assure you it is deeply gratifying to receive such praise from such hands.

* * I feel certain that there must be many incorrectnesses in my writings, for though I labor sometimes carefully at parts, I often write very rapidly; and what I write with facility and spirit I am not apt to retouch with any great solicitude. I labor more to bring up careless and feeble parts to a tone and keeping with the rest, than nicely to finish what appears to me already good. Columbus had more slovenliness of style in one stage of its preparation than any work I ever wrote; for I was so anxious about the verity of the narrative, and had to patch it together from so many different materials, that I had no time to think of the language. I had completely finished it as to facts, that I went over the whole of it and endeavored to bring up the style.

It was not until

I give a few of the entries in his diary between the date of the foregoing letter and that which is to follow:

April 16th.-Miserere in the cathedral in the eveningwalked in the cathedral with Dolgorouki until half-past eleven. 17th.-Went with Prince Dolgorouki to the church of St. Thomas, to see the painting by Zurbaran-wrote letter to Madame D'Oubril-walked about Seville by moonlight with Dolgorouki.

18th.-Rending of the veil at the cathedral.

22d.-Sat for likeness to Escacena-write letters to the little D'Oubrils.

This last employment, in one naturally disinclined to letter writing, illustrates his fondness for children, of which, and their fondness for him, there are many indications in the letters addressed to him:

"The children desire to be remembered to the chocolate merchant, and to assure you that they have not forgotten Hempen House, nor the German princess with the long nose;" writes Mr. Thomas Aspinwall to him at one time, and again at another; "Madame and all the young fry desire their kindest remembrance. They have picked out a tree for you to lie under, and tell them stories when you come to Highgate next summer."

In the following letter we find Mr. Irving about to take another look at Granada. "I had intended," he writes to Mr. Everett, "to visit the African coast; merely Tangiers and Tetuan, for a few days to get a peep at the turbaned Infidels in their own towns, but I fear I shall have to abandon the intention, as I find the Austrians are blockading Tangiers." He was the

more desirous to visit Granada a second time, as he would now see it in all the beauty of its vegetation, and when he was there before, the spring was not far enough advanced "to leave a full idea of the charms. of the scenery."

[To Peter Irving, Rouen.]

MY DEAR BROTHER:

SEVILLE, April 29, 1829.

** * The day after to-morrow I set off on horseback with Prince Dolgorouki for Granada, where I mean to indulge myself with a luxurious life among the groves and fountains of the Alhambra. I shall be there in the most splendid season, with moonlight nights. If I have a writing vein there, of which I am in hopes, I shall remain there for a month or six weeks. I beg you, therefore, to continue to write to me to the care of Don Miguel Walsh.

I have just received Navarrete's third volume, and will look over it to see what corrections it will be necessary for me to make in my History of Columbus.

I write in extreme haste. Let me hear from you often. You have the true art of letter writing, for your letters always present the bright side of things, and put me in good humor. and good spirits.

I will write to you at more length from Granada. The prince and myself travel alone. He came down here in company with the French ambassadress and a large party, but deserted them all to remain with me. He is of an amiable tem per and a most affectionate disposition.

*

*

Your affectionate brother.

WASHINGTON IRVING.

CHAPTER XXIII.

SOJOURN IN THE ALHAMBRA.

THE GOVERNOR's quarters—AN UNEXPECTED Visitor-PASSAGES OF LETTERS— THE CONQUEST OF GRANADA PUBLISHED IN LONDON-FINISHES THE LEGENDS OF THE CONQUEST OF SPAIN-LETTERS TO PETER ON THE SUBJECT-LETTER TO DOLGOROUKI-DUKE DE GOR-EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS TO EBENEZER AND PETER-HEARS OF HIS APPOINTMENT AS SECRETARY OF LEGATION TO LONDON-LETTER THEREUPON TO MR. WETHERELL AT SEVILLE-INDIFFERENCE TO OFFICIAL HONOR-LETTER TO LOUIS MCLANE-TO MR. EVERETT— HIS PLAN OF RETURN BROKEN UP-LETTER TO PETER-REPLY TO THE OBJECTION THAT THE APPOINTMENT WAS BELOW HIS TALENTS AND POSITIONA TRAVELLING COMPANION TURNS UP, WITH WHOM HE PROPOSES TO LEAVE

GRANADA.

MR.

R. IRVING left Seville on the first of May, in company with the Prince Dolgorouki, and after a pleasant journey of five days on horseback, of which he has given us some particulars in the Tales of the Alhambra, arrived at Granada. On the 12th of May, he left the Posada de la Espada, in which he had lodged on his arrival, and took up his residence in the Governor's quarters in the Alhambra, who had given him permission on the day previous to occupy his vacant apartments in that august old pile.

His letters speak with delight of this romantic residence

You see [he writes to Peter, May 13] I date my letter from the old Moorish palace itself; for yesterday, by permission of the Governor of the Alhambra, the Prince and myself moved into one of its vacant apartments. You may easily imagine how delightfully we are lodged with the whole pile at our command, to ramble over its halls and courts at all hours of day and night without control. The part we inhabit is intended. for the Governor's quarters, but he prefers at present residing down in the city. We have an excellent old dame and her good. humored, bright-eyed niece, who have charge of the Alhambra, who arrange our rooms, meals, &c., with the assistance of a tall servant boy; and thus we live quietly, snugly, and without any restraint, elevated above the world and its troubles. I question if ever poor Chico el Zogoyby was as comfortable in his palace.

On the very evening of his occupation, he was surprised by a visit from his nephew, Edgar Irving, son of his brother Ebenezer, a midshipman in the navy, who was returning home from a cruise in the Mediterranean, when he heard of his being there, and left his ship at Gibraltar to pay him a visit. His sudden appearance in this romantic abode, was, writes his uncle,

as if he had dropt from the clouds, or been conveyed by some enchantment of the palace." On the morning of the 16th, the prince set off to continue his tour through Andalusia, and the following day his nephew took his departure for Andujar, Cordova, Seville, and so back to Gibraltar, leaving him the solitary tenant of the Alhainbra.