you a book and a tree." A whimsical picture he drew of his first reading of Scott's Lady of the Lake, while he was at the Hoffmans' home on the Hudson in 18 10: " Seated leaning against a rock, with a wild-cherry tree over my head, reading Scott's Lady of the Lake ; the busy ant hurrying over the page — crickets skipping into my bosom — ^wind rustling among the top branches of the trees. Broad masses of shade darken the Hudson and cast the oppo- site shore in black." With the eminent lawyer, Josiah Ogden Hoffman, he read law after Brockholst Livingston, in whose office he began his studies, had been called to the bench of the Supreme Court. At Mr. Hoffman's house he soon became an intimate and most welcome visitor and at times an inmate, for he had a rare faculty for win- ning hearts. It was during this early period that he lost his own heart to Matilda Hoffman, the daughter of his friend. Of more than ordinary beauty, fineness of character, and sweetness of disposition, that winsome girl of long ago will be remembered wherever Irving 's life is read. Digitized by Microsoft® Literary Associations of the Hudson 249 her name hnked with his in one of the world's pathetic love stories. Under all the humour and the gaiety that marked his work and intercourse with friends during his long life, he hid the troubling memory of her loss. Miss Hoffman's death occurred in 1809, when she was but eighteen years old and he twenty- six. From that time till, in 1859, his own dust was laid to rest in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, he was never known to mention her name, even to his most intimate friends; but, after his death, his literary executor found a paper relating the story of his pas- sion and lifelong attachment to her memory, together with her miniature and a braid of her hair. The fidel- ity of half a century is not less an evidence of his worth than a tribute to hers. At Kinderhook, at the historic home of Judge Wil- liam P. Van Ness, where Martin Van Buren after- wards lived, Irving spent the two months immediately succeeding his bereavement. It has been shown by a gentleman to whom Kinderhook owes much for the presentation of matters of local interest, that there is a strong probability at least, that the origi- nal of the immortal character of Ichabod Crane was met and studied by Irving while at the Van Ness house. A tragic interest is connected with the name of Irving 's host at Kinderhook. It will be remembered that he was Aaron Burr's second in the duel that resulted in Alexander Hamilton's death, though he Digitized by Microsoft® 250 The Hudson River apparently did not share the odium that attached to his principal's name. Another of Irving 's early haunts on the Hudson was the Phihpse house in the Highlands. There Paulding, Renwick, and the Kemblesr-Peter and Gouverneur — met, along with Henry Brevoort, whose acquaintance Irving had made while travelling on the St. Lawrence with Mr. Hoffman. The two young men soon formed a friendship which was destined to be lifelong. Of a visit to the Highlands during the year 181 2, just before the commencement of hostilities between America and Great Britain, Irving wrote to Brevoort as follows: In August I sallied off for the residence of the Highland chief- tain, whither I was accompanied by James Renwick. We passed a few days very pleasantly there,' during which time Renwick took a variety of sketches' of. the surrounding scenery. From the Captain's I proceeded to the country-seat of John R. L , where I remained, for a week in complete fairy-land. His seat is spacious and elegant, with fine grounds around it, and the neighbourhood is very gay and hospitable. I dined twice at the Chancellor's and once at old Mrs. Montgomery's. Our own household was numerous and charming. In addition to the ladies of the family there were Miss McEvers and Miss Hay- ward. Had you but seen me, happy rogue, up to my ears in "an ocean of peacock's feathers," or rather like a " strawberry smoth- ered in cream "! The mode of living at the Manor is exactly after my own heart. You have every variety of rural amuse- ment within your reach, and are left to yourself to occupy your time as you please. We made several charming excursions, and you may suppose how delightful they were, through such beauti- ful scenery, with such fine women to accompany you. They surpassed even our Sunday morning rambles among the groves Digitized by Microsoft® Literary Associations of the Hudson 251 on the banks of the Hudson, when