230 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



and just by the railroad, and yet screened from view by 

 groves. The house is a gem, in perfect accordance with 

 the refined taste of its accomplished possessor. He is still 

 engaged upon the history of Washington, and a fourth 

 volume is nearly ready for the press. It had been in my 

 power to contribute some interesting things, particularly 

 the journal of the late Governor Trumbull, of the siege of 

 Yorktown, he being private secretary to the Commander- 

 in-Chief, General Washington ; and I suppose he will make 

 use of some portions of it in his forthcoming volume. 



August 20, Wednesday. Mr. Irving. This distingiu'shed 

 gentleman, one of the bright stars of our literary hemis- 

 phere, came from his home, a mile from this place, and 

 passed a long evening with us ; and we had half an hour 

 or more with him, as I have mentioned, at his own house. 

 In person he is not tall ; probably he may be five feet six 

 or seven inches high ; his form rather round and full, but 

 not corpulent ; his countenance florid and slightly bronzed ; 

 his lips thick ; his eyes blue or gray ; his expression mild 

 and benignant, with a slight tinge of mirthfulness ; his air 

 modest, with even a shade of diffidence ; his voice is not 

 clear, but rather husky, as if catarrhal ; his conversation is 

 animated and engaging, and he appears quite as willing to 

 hear as to speak. Having had some correspondence with 

 him regarding his " Life of Washington," we were natu- 

 rally drawn nearer together on that account ; and he con- 

 versed with freedom and ease respecting his work. 



Proceeding to Albany, where he was the guest of 

 his esteemed friend, Dr. Sprague, he attended the 

 inauguration of the Dudley Observatory, and listened 

 to the address of Mr. Edward Everett. 



This p-nilcman spoke two hours in his own magnificent 

 style, and the audience was delighted. His subject was 



