Washington Irving

1783 - 1859

The American writer, essayist, biographer and diplomat, Washington Irving, was called "the first American man of letters". He is best known for his short stories "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". He was among the first American writers to get international fame. As a politician, he advocated writing should become a legitimate profession and argued in favour of stronger bans to protect American writers from copyright infringement.

24 min

0 25 readings

Romanticism 19th Century

Rip Van Winkle

A POSTHUMOUS WRITING OF DIEDRICH KNICKERBOCKER.

By Woden, God of Saxons,
From whence comes Wensday, that is Wodensday,
Truth is a thing that ever I will keep
Unto thylke day in which ... [+]