. The works of William Makepeace Thackeray . and, in Ir\ings instance, as inothers, the old country was glad and eager to pay them. In America the love and regard for Irving was a national senti-ment. Party wars are perpetually raging there, and are carried onby the press with a rancour and fierceness against individmds whichexceed British, almost Irish, virulence. It seemed to me, during ayears travel in the country, as if no one ever aimed a blow atIrving. All men held their hands from that harmless friendlypeacemaker. I had the good fortune to see him at New York,Philadelphia, Baltiniore, a
. The works of William Makepeace Thackeray . and, in Ir\ings instance, as inothers, the old country was glad and eager to pay them. In America the love and regard for Irving was a national senti-ment. Party wars are perpetually raging there, and are carried onby the press with a rancour and fierceness against individmds whichexceed British, almost Irish, virulence. It seemed to me, during ayears travel in the country, as if no one ever aimed a blow atIrving. All men held their hands from that harmless friendlypeacemaker. I had the good fortune to see him at New York,Philadelphia, Baltiniore, and Washington,* and remarked how inevery j)lace he honoured and welcome. Every large city h;isits Irving House. The country takes pride in the fame of its * At Washington, Mr. Trving came to a lecture given by the writer, wbichMr. Filmoro and General Pierce, the President and President Elect, were .alsokind enough to atten<l together. Two Kings of Brentford smelling at onerose, Irving, looking up with his good-humoured AN INTERVIEWER > NIL NISI BONUM 175 men of letters. The gate of his own charming little domain on thebeautiful Hudson River was for ever swinging before visitors whocame to him. He shut out no one.* I luid seen many pictures ofhis liouse, and read descrij)tions of it, in l)utli of which it was treatedwith a not unusual American exaggeration. It was but a prettylittle cabin of a place; the gentleman of the press who took notesof the ])lace, whilst his kind old host was slcephig, might havevisited the whole house in a couple of minutes. And how came it that this house was so small, when Mr. Irvingsbooks were sold by hundreds of thousands, nay, millions, when hisprofits were known to be large, and the habits of life of the goodold bachelor were notoriously modest and simple 1 He had lovedonce in his life. The lady he loved died; and he, whom all theworld loved, never sought to replace her. I cant say how muchthe thought of that fidelity has
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