NEW YORK, June 9th, 1835. MY DEAR KENNEDY,-Mr. Schermerhorn has been proposing to me to join in the purchase of some property at Baltimore, consisting of certain wharfs and buildings on Fells Point, owned by Robt. Gilmor, Geo. Waters, and others. I send a rough sketch of the premises on the last page. The price asked by Mr. Gilmor is $40,000. Will you have the kindness to enquire about this property and to let me have your opinion about it as soon as possible? I wish to know what rent it would produce immediately; what are the proba bilities as to its future value; whether it is likely to be affected either favorably or unfavorably by public improvements, such as new streets, docking out, filling up, etc. I beg you to consider this matter seriously - to make your inquiries quietly; not to mention my name in the matter - nor indeed to say anything about the plan of purchase. From your late letter I see you think me infected by the fever of speculation, and this present request may confirm you in the opinion; but I am seeking merely to invest my very moderate means in some secure manner, that may yield something of an income, and give me a chance of moderate increase. I have no eagerness for wealth; but I have others dependent upon me for whom I have to provide. My operations in the stock market are merely to shift my funds from one kind of stock to another, of a safer character. I now wish to invest a part in real estate having some tangible value and being less likely to sudden depreciation than insurance or bank stock, and secure from total loss. Such is the amount of my bubble blowing. With kindest regards to Mrs. Kennedy,

Yours ever,

WASHINGTON IRVING.

NEW YORK, Dec. 25th, 1835.

MY DEAR KENNEDY,-I have just received your most kind and considerate letter, and reply on the spot. I have not lost more than a gentleman ought to lose in so general a calamity. I had three thousand dollars in the Guardian Fire Insurance company, which is bankrupt. I could not have shown my face in this suffering community with a less loss. My brother had fortunately removed his counting house to another street. He has lost about a couple of thousand dollars of insurance stock, which is the amount of his misfortune. Poor Brevoort is in for about $50,000. He had two stores burnt, one just finished, and held much Fire Insurance stock. He feels his loss rather sorely ; but will soon get over it ; for he has an ample fortune left. My brother, the Judge, who has just got home, leaving his son Treat in Paris, estimates his loss at about forty thousand dollars. One of his sons tells me he does not really think his father's loss, when all matters are settled, will amount to much more than half that sum. As the Judge, however, is a little tenacious on the subject, we allow him the full extent of misfortune that he claims, and only console him with hinting that he has a deep purse to sustain it. In fact, the calamity is so general and there are so many on which

6 This appears on the third page of the letter, and is followed by the sentence: "The above is a mere rough sketch, without any regard to proportions."

7 The reference is to the great fire in New York on December 16, 1835, in which seventeen blocks in the heart of the city were destroyed (see the New York Times of December 17, 1835).

it falls heavily and incurably, that those who suffer but partially can expect little sympathy; nor indeed do they seem to require any. I never saw people bear a heavy blow more bravely than my fellow citizens do in general. After all, the evil falls most grievously in quarters that are less ostensible to the public eye- on retired people, of respectable standing and moderate means, who had the greatest part of their limited funds invested in the Fire Insurance Company; for this was a favorite stock with those of small capital, who required a large percentage to produce a decent income. Many widows and single females of genteel connexions, who are keeping up a respectable appearance on the proceed [s] of such investments, are suddenly reduced to perfect indigence. If any public relief be extended, I trust it will reach such cases.

I am scrawling this letter off in the greatest haste, having to write half a dozen others by this mail. Give my kindest remembrances to your dear blessed [mutilated], whom, I trust you continue properly to appreciate; also to the worthy editor under the hill and his little spouse. You are two of the luckiest married men that I know of—and two of the very few whose lot makes me sometimes repine at being a bachelor.

Yours ever, my dear Kennedy,

JOHN P. KENNEDY, ESQ.

WASHINGTON IRVING.

P. S.-I had nearly forgot to wish you all a Merry Christmas.

SUNNYSIDE, Nov. 8, 1846.

MY DEAR KENNEDY,— My nephew, Lewis G. Irving, visits your city with the view to solicit an agency at New York of one of the Baltimore insurance companies. He has thorough knowledge of the business, having acted as secretary to two companies. He bears testimonials to his fitness for the charge and to his general merits from many of the best houses in our city. To them I can add my own assurances of his sound judgment, great discretion, thorough business habits, and scrupulous integrity. As I have his success greatly at heart, I shall esteem it a great favor to myself if you will exert your influence in his favor.

I had thought to have been at Baltimore before this, on my way to Washington, but I feel so throughly delighted at finding myself once more in my little nest on the Hudson, that I cannot bear to budge from it even for a day. Besides [?], I have no immediate business to call me to Washington, so I defer my visit there to a future day; when I shall stop to see my Balti. more friend, and hope to find you and Mrs. Kennedy as well and happy as your hearts can wish. Present Mrs. Kennedy my kindest remembrances, and believe me ever, my dear Kennedy, Most truly and cordially yours, WASHINGTON IRVING.

J. P. KENNEDY, ESQ.

8 It will be recalled that he had been absent for the past four years in Europe, as Minister to Spain.

SUNNYSIDE, April 27th, 1851.

MY DEAR KENNEDY,- The recent death of a brother-in-law must plead my apology for declining the invitation of the Maryland Historical Society;9 but, to tell you the truth, I have a nervous horror of all public dinners and other occurrences of the kind when I may be called on for a speech or a toast, or in any way to play the part of a notoriety; and I avoid them as much as possible.

It would give me great delight to meet you and a friend or two in a social way, and I hope to do so some time or other on my way to or from Washington, where I shall have to go some time or other to make researches in the archives of the Department of State; but when that will be, I cannot say. I have been kept from Washington by the rancorous discussions and disputes about this detestable slave question. I wish to heavens nature would restore to the poor negroes their tails and settle them in their proper place in the scale of creation. It would be a great relief to both them and the abolitionists, and I see no other way of settling the question effectually.

Give my kind remembrances to Mrs. Kennedy, and believe me ever Yours very truly, WASHINGTON IRVING.

Extracts form Kennedy's Diary

(Saratoga Springs, July 17, 1852.) — Washington Irving came yesterday from his cottage at Sunnyside, with Moses Grinnell and Pierre Irving and their wives. He came over to our cottage after tea and sat two hours with us in a delightful mood of conversation. It is many years since he had met E.10 and the family- I had seen him more frequently. He is with us again this morning, until near twelve, when he and his party set out for Lake George and Canada.

(Ibid., July 20, 1852.) - Washington Irving returns from Lake George, having abandoned his tour into Canada. . . . . He says he came to spend a few days here with us. I regret that I am to leave here just at this time."1

Irving to Kennedy

NEW YORK, Dec. 31st, 1852.

MY DEAR KENNEDY,- My engagements in these parts extend to the 12th of January, within a day or two after which I shall shape my course to Washington to take possession of that "very comfortable room " which you

9 This invitation had been conveyed by Kennedy to Irving in a letter of April 25. Others who were invited to this function -a dinner given by the Maryland Historical Society on May 10- were Griswold, Simms, Sir Henry Bulwer, Martin F. Tupper, and President Fillmore. 10 E." is Kennedy's wife, Elizabeth.

1 Kennedy had just received a letter from President Fillmore tendering him the Navy portfolio in his cabinet, and he was leaving for Washington at once.

I shall not fail to stop on the

say Mrs. Kennedy has kindly prepared for me. way to see Mr. and Miss Gray, and will apprize you in time of the day of my departure.12

With kindest remembrances to Mrs. Kennedy,

Yours, my dear Kennedy, very truly,

WASHINGTON IRVING.

P. S.—My address is Dearman, Westchester Co. Your letter lingered at Dobbs Ferry, with which I have no dealings.

Extracts from Kennedy's Journal

(Washington, Jan. 19, 1853.)—I drive to the depot to meet Washington Irving, who comes to make me a visit, and bring him home. . . . . Irving is a little fatigued by travel, and is not much in the talking humor this evening. (Jan. 26, 1853.)—In the evening the President's levée, where we all go. Irving a great lion to-night.

(Feb. 27, 1853.)—Irving has been with me all this time, and is enjoying himself greatly to his own and our satisfaction. Thackeray arrived here a fortnight ago, and has been delivering his lectures here and in Balti. more. . . . . I have heard Thackeray's lectures several nights and with great pleasure. He dined with me yesterday. Besides Irving and the family I had Corwin and Stuart to meet him. Irving and I dined with him this evening at Boulanger's eating-house.

(March 8, 1853.)-[The retiring cabinet call at Kennedy's house to] make their respects to Mrs. Kennedy. . . . . Irving is present and says they are fine fellows. . . . . At three, having dined, Irving and Mrs. Hare get with us into the carriage. Irving on his return to New York. very sad at parting with the family, and sheds tears.

Poor Irving is

Irving to Kennedy

WASHINGTON, March 7th, 1853.

MY DEAR SIR,- Being on the eve of my departure homeward I take the liberty of speaking a word in behalf of my nephew, William Irving, at present a clerk in the Census office. Of the ability with which he has discharged the duties of that office of which for some time he had the principal management, I have the most satisfactory assurances from those competent to judge. WASHINGTON IRVING.13

13 He did not reach Kennedy's home in Washington until January 19, having been detained for a week, by a snow-storm, in New York, and having spent two days on the way down at the home of Kennedy's father-in-law in Baltimore. See for an interesting account of his trip down and of his reception in Baltimore, Irving's Life, IV, pp. 123 f.

13 This letter appears to have been hurriedly written. The signature, which is in pencil, is, perhaps, not in Irving's autograph.

A letter written by Irving on March 11, 1853, to Mrs. Kennedy -a fine letter, making gracious acknowledgement of her kindness and hospitality during his visit is printed by P. M. Irving (Life, IV, pp. 135 f.).

Irving to Mrs. Kennedy

SUNNYSIDE, April 2d, 1853.

MY DEAR MRS. KENNEDY,-I have been extremely shocked by the death of our amiable and excellent friend, Mrs. Fillmore; especially as I am inclined to think she in a manner received the death-blow when standing by my side on the marble terrace of the Capitol, in snow and cold, listening to the inaugural speech of her husband's successor. What sad domestic bereavements have visited the two presidents, one just before entering upon office, the other just after leaving it! I feel deeply for the affliction of the amiable Fillmore family; the loss of such a member-so gentle, so good, so kind in all her ways. This melancholy event of course puts an end to the Southern tour and leaves your husband to the quiet of his library; which must be most grateful to him after his late hurried and somewhat harrassed life-though I believe he is of a constitution of mind not easily harrassed.14 As you tell me I must write to you instead of him, you must be the medium of my reply to his letters. Tell him I received his two printed addresses vhich he sent to me,15 and suffered them to lie for a long time on my table anread- I had so many things to attend to on my return that I had not leisure and to tell the truth I had not inclination. Somehow or other I did not expect much enjoyment from them, not being a great amateur of addresses. At length I took them one night to my chamber and read them n bed. Never was I more agreeably disappointed. The address about Baltimore interested me in the early part by the anecdotes of the early history and wonderful growth of the city; told, too, with pleasant dashes of humor— and it warmed and delighted me by the noble manner in which it wound up; but the strange story of the poor poet weaver [?] Thom-his sore struggles with penury and the strange mixture of poetical excitement with utter wretchedness-completely took me by surprise. I do not know anything of the kind that ever excited me more. I had to stop repeatedly to wipe away the tears that blinded me. Never has Kennedy written anything with better tact and better feeling. It made my heart throb toward him. My nieces are now crying over the story and learning to love the writer of it.

I have just received a very kind and friendly letter from Mr. Winthrop announcing a volume of his writings which he has sent me, but which has not yet arrived. He appears to look back, like myself, with very pleasant recollections on the time we sojourned together under your roof at Washington and first became acquainted with each other, and it is one of the many agreeable circumstances connected with my visit that it has linked me in friendship with a gentleman of his talent, cultivation, and refinement. But in fact, now that I have sunk back again into my quiet elbow-chair at Sunnyside, that whole visit begins to appear to me an agreeable dream, and I sit and muse and try to call up one fleeting recollection after another, and bring back the images of worth and beauty that passed before me in constant

14 The spelling is Irving's. Other obsolete or irregular spellings that occur in his letters are: intamacy, Filmore, affraid, holyday, negociate, and christal.

15 From Kennedy's journal, under date of April 3, 1853, we learn that these were his "address before the Mechanics Institute giving a history of Baltimore and [his] address before the Asbury Sabbath School."