Wednesday, April 03, 2013

quotable Washington Irving
(on his birthday)

In honor of Washington Irving's 230th birthday, a quote that I think will appeal to readers and writers alike -
If, however, I can by any lucky chance, in these days of evil, rub out one wrinkle from the brow of care, or beguile the heavy heart of one moment of sorrow; if I can now and then penetrate through the gathering film of misanthropy, prompt a benevolent view of human nature, and make my reader more in good humor with his fellow beings and himself, surely, surely, I shall not then have written entirely in vain.
                  - "Christmas Dinner," The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon1
Irving wrote prolifically and eccentrically2, and though he was one of the most famous writers of his day, he has suffered the fate of many dead-white-male authors and is now relatively unknown.3 Personally, I'm hoping that Fox's Sleepy Hollow pilot (in production right now) results in a series and that the series results in a renewed interest in Irving and his work beyond "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."
  1. Affiliate link. Also, I didn't double-check the source and am relying exclusively on the editor of The Wit and Whimsy of Washington Irving (link devoid of commission-earning potential), page 51, for source information.
  2. I bet you didn't know he wrote a biography of Mohammed.
  3. Except in Spain.

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