hurch. Whom it was written by
I do not know, but the writer evidently understood his subject.

* * * * *

"When it was announced that Mr. Irving was about to present to the public a
life of Washington, we hailed the information with feelings of delight, not
unmingled with gratitude, that the illustrious author of 'Columbus,' the
Sketch Book, and Knickerbocker should make the crowning work of his life
and literary labors, the history of the greatest and purest of patriots, so
dear to the hearts of all his countrymen, and one who, the more time and
investigation develop and explain his motives and actions, the greater and
nobler he appears. Our expectations were great when we contemplated the
vast field that time had laid open to the historian; and though Marshall
and Sparks had left but little to do, we felt there was still enough to
make Mr. Irving's the greatest history of that greatest of men.

On the appearances of the first volume, a number of errors were noticed by
the press, which were subsequently corrected. The most important one, that
in relation to Major Stobo, we are glad to see fully explained and
corrected in a note at the end of the second volume. In the early part of
the second volume, however, a far graver error occurs, we mean Mr. Irving's
estimate of the conduct and character of Gen. Reed, and is it mainly the
object of this communication to set that matter in its true light.

Who can read without emotion of the trials and difficulties that beset
Washington throughout the whole of his career? A Congress so corrupt, that
Livingston writes, 'I am so discouraged by our public mismanagement, and
the additional load of business thrown upon me by the villainy of those who
pursue nothing but accumulating fortunes, to the ruin of their country,
that I almost sink under it.' False friends and traitors intrigue against
him--even Gen. Reed, the very man Mr. Irving so delighted to honor, and an
inmate of his household, writes a letter to Gen. Lee, the aspiring rival of
Washington, reflecting, with harsh severity, on the conduct and character
of his commander and benefactor. Lee's answer fell into the hands of
Washington, and was read by him during the absence of Reed, who made no
attempt at an explanation until Lee was taken prisoner. He then endeavored
to explain the delay, by saying that he had been in the meantime
endeavoring to get possession of his letter, in order that he migh