I feel disposed, now that I am in diplomatic life, to give it some little trial. The labors are not great, especially in my present situation. It introduces me to scenes and affairs of high interest, and in that way perhaps prepares me for higher intellectual labors. The very kind and flattering manner, also in which I am treated in all circles is highly gratifying.

Between one and two months prior to the date of this extract, I find the following entry in Mr. Irving's diary, now about to be laid aside.

November 23d.-Dined at Sir Robert Inglis'-present Sir James Mackintosh and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Wilberforce and daughter, Mr. Miller-Sir James Mackintosh proposed to me to join him, Sir Walter Scott, and Moore in their his torical project.

At the close of this year, Mr. Irving was bending his thoughts to a Life of Washington, and vainly flattering himself that he would begin upon it at once, as we gather from this intimation in a letter to his brother Peter, dated December 18, written soon after some overtures from Dr. Lardner for a History of the United States, to which he was at first inclined to listen.

I have abandoned the idea of the History of the United States, but have determined immediately to undertake a work in lieu of it, which will be more universally popular; and which, if tolerably executed, must be a valuable and lasting property. I mean a Life of Washington. I shall take my own time to

execute it, and will spare no pains. It must be my great and crowning labor.

Years, however, were to elapse before this final labor of his pen was even commenced.

CHAPTER XXV.

LEHER TO GOUVERNEUR KEMBLE-AWARD OF A GOLD MEDAL BY THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE-THE OXFORD HONOR-SKETCH OF WILLIAM IV.LETTER TO PETER IRVING-ARTICLE IN THE LONDON QUARTERLY-LETTER TO LOUIS MCLANE FROM PARIS AFTER THE ELEVATION OF LOUIS PHILIPPE -EXTRACT FROM A LETTER TO THE SAME-TALLEYRAND-LITERARY CONCERNS-BREVOORT-DOLGOROUKI-PETER POWELL-JOHN RANDOLPH - THE

I

VOYAGES OF THE COMPANIONS OF COLUMBUS IN THE PRESS-INTERRUPTIONS
OF HIS OFFICIAL SITUATION-DISTRACTIONS OF LONDON LIFE-THE KING AND
THE
NOTES FROM

MISSION-NEWTON-LESLIE-KENNEY-PAYNE-RECEIVES

MURRAY FOR THE VOYAGES.

OPEN this chapter with a letter of Mr. Irving to

his early friend, Gouverneur Kemble, who was now occupying his bachelor home in the noble solitude of the highlands of the Hudson. It was situated nearly opposite West Point, and a few miles north of the old colonial seat of Captain Philipse, that favorite haunt of Irving, Brevoort, Kemble, and Paulding, in days long gone by. Kemble was now the proprietor of an extensive foundery, from which he occasionally supplied the government with cannon, and to "the forges and fires" of which the letter alludes:

MY DEAR KEMBLE:

LONDON, Jan. 18, 1830.

I am most heartily obliged to you for your letter, which smacks so much of old times and early fellowship; and I take

it the more kindly of you, because I believe I was in your debt for one or two previous letters, which from the hurry of various affairs I had suffered to remain unanswered. I had hoped and designed to have been by this time once more among you all in New York, and had trusted to find in you a boon companion, to keep me in company and countenance in my old bachelorhood, and to have philosophized good-humoredly with me on all we had seen and experienced. This diplomatic appointment, however, has toppled down all my air castles, and has fixed me for a time amidst the smoke and fog of London. I have a most craving desire to visit old friends and old scenes; and there is no place I should feel greater delight in beholding than our ancient nest in the highlands. The poor captain is gone! and I should miss him sadly, but I have an idea that I should relish your stronghold of Cold Spring hugely. I cannot act up to your advice in keeping myself thin, to mount your hill without blowing; I have a villainous propensity to grow round and robustious, and I fear the beef and pudding of England will complete the ruin of my figure.

.

I was surprised a few days since by a visit from our old convive S, whom I have often dined in company with at your house and the captain's. He looks a little the worse for wear; his face has grown to a dusky red, heightened by a very scanty shock of white hair. We had a good deal of talk about old times, and he expresses a resolution to revisit New York immediately, should we be successful in reopening the direct trade with the West Indies; in which case he seems sanguine of making a great deal of money. He introduced to me a young gentleman by the name of Brush, whose father I used likewise to see at your house, and who is on the

* *

point of sailing for Spain, for which country I shall give him, some letters.

I often see a lady who boasts of having enjoyed your inti macy while in London. I mean Miss who now is an ancient spinster, but a very merry and bustling one. Her mother is about eighty years of age, and a relic of the ancient tory times of New York; being one of those who left it, I believe, at the close of the Revolution. Bating her high tory notions, she is a thorough American; that is to say, as far as love for the soil goes; for otherwise, I believe she looks upon the nation as little better than a rebellious race.

Why cannot you leave your forges and fires in the highlands for a season, and take a lounge for a few months in London? The crossing of the ocean at present is nothing; and you might be back before your fires had gone out or your irons grown cold; and return too with a whole budget of materials for after thought and after talk. By all accounts you must have made money enough to be able to take the world as you please; and having neither wife nor child to anchor you at home,. I do not see why you should not now and then take a cruise. Think of this. I should be delighted to meet you in London, and you and Peter and myself would have some cozy hours together.

Give my affectionate regards to James Paulding and his wife, and to such of our old cronies as are within hail.

I am, my dear Kemble,

Ever very affectionately your old friend,

WASHINGTON IRVING.

On his birthday, the third of April, the author received verbal intelligence that the Royal Society of