ndow, and this he continued until they had had enough, and the
grateful mother had enjoyed a needed rest. Apparently he bore ill-will
toward no one, and his ever-ready humor helped him to view the lives of
others without harshness. Thus it is not only as a great literary
artist, but as an American of the most worthy type, that he has won
lasting honor.

THE KNICKERBOCKER HISTORY OF NEW YORK

_By_ WASHINGTON IRVING

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

_A History of New York by Diedrich Knickerbocker_ was published in 1809.
Nearly forty years later Washington Irving, the real author, says it was
his purpose in the history to embody the traditions of New York in an
amusing form, to illustrate its local humors, customs and peculiarities
in a whimsical narrative, which should help to bind the heart of the
native inhabitant to his home. He adds:

"In this I have reason to believe I have in some measure succeeded.
Before the appearance of my work the popular traditions of our city were
unrecorded; the peculiar and racy customs and usages derived from our
Dutch Progenitors were unnoticed, or regarded with indifference, or
adverted to with a sneer. Now they form a convivial currency, and are
brought forward on all occasions: they link our whole community together
in good humor and good fellowship; they are the rallying-points of home
feeling, the seasoning of our civic festivities, the staple of local
tales and local pleasantries; and are so harped upon by our writers of
popular fiction that I find myself almost crowded off the legendary
ground which I was the first to explore by the host who have followed
in my footsteps.

"I dwell on this head because, at the first appearance of my work, its
aim and drift were misapprehended by some of the descendants of the
Dutch worthies, and because I understand that now and then one may still
be found to regard it with a captious eye. The far greater part,
however, I have reason to flatter myself, receive my good-humored
picturings in the same temper in which they were executed; and when I
find, after a lapse of nearly forty years, this haphazard production of
my youth still cherished among them; when I find its very name become a
'household word' and used to give the home stamp to everything
recommended for popular acceptation, such as Knickerbocker societies;
Knickerbocker insurance companies; Knickerbocker steamboats;
Knickerbocker omnibuses; Knickerbocker bread; and Knickerbocker ice; an