mVINGTON 202 ISAAC I. turn. Though he was offered various literary posts in England, chiefly through the friendship of Sir Walter Scott, he refused to do anything that might look like an abandonment of his native coun- try. The "Sketch Book," his most fa- mous work, appeared in parts from May, 1819, to September, 1820. In 1822 ap- peared "Bracebridge Hall" and two years later "Tales of a Traveller." In these books he links America and England in a series of essays, tales, and descriptive sketches, all of them marked by urban- ity, humor, and by a finish of style pre- viously unknown in American prose. The most famous of the sketches deal with certain folk legends, some of them from the Harz mountains, which he translated to the romantic region of the Catskills and old New York with its pic- turesque Highlands to the north. As in "Knickerbocker," he sought "to clothe home scenes and places and familiar names with those imaginative and whim- sical associations so seldom met with in our new country, but which live like spells and charms about the cities of the old world." From 1820 to 1826 he travelled in France and Germany, and in the latter year went to Spain, where he spent three years. Here he became interested in his- torical work, the results being his "Life of Columbus" (1828) ; "Conquest of Granada" (1829); and "The Alhambra" (1832). Returning to England, in 1829, as secretary of the American legation, he was awarded a medal by the Royal So- ciety and the degree of D.C.L. by Oxford. At length, in 1832, he returned to America, settling at Tarry town, since famous as "the Irving country." He was offered various political posts, which he declined, but in 1842 accepted an ap- pointment as Minister to Spain, where he spent four years. His last works were the "Crayon Miscellany" (1835); "Captain Bonneville" (1837) ; "Oliver Goldsmith" (1849); "Mahomet" (1849); "Life of Washington" (1859). He died 28 November, 1859, at "Sunnyside," Tarrytown. IRVINGTON, a city of New Jersey in Essex co. It adjoins Newark of which it is a suburb. It has important industries, including smelters, foundries, automobile works, oil refineries, etc. There is a hospital, Bethany Home, Elks Home, a park, and a town hall. Pop. (1910) 11,877; (1920) 25,466. IRWIN, MAY, an American actress, born in Whitby, Ontario, in 1862. She first appeared on the stage in 1876 and for many years following was a mem- ber of Tony Pastor's company. She later appeared under the management of Charles Frohman in many successful plays. She was one of the most popular comediennes on the American stage. IRWIN", WALLACE (ADMAH), an American writer, born in Oneida, N. Y., in 1876. He was educated at Denver High School and at Leland Stanford University. He became a special writer on newspapers and was for a time editor of the "San Francisco News Letter." His humorous writings in newspapers at- tracted wide attention, especially of the publications in 1902 of "The Love Son- nets of a Hoodlum." This was followed by many other pieces of humorous verse which obtained a wide circulation. He also wrote much prose in a humorous vein. In addition to these he wrote novels and special articles. His best known works are "Chinatown Ballads" (1905) ; "Letters of a Japanese School- boy" (1909); "Pilgrims Into Folly" (1917); "The Blooming Angel" (1919). IRWIN, WILLIAM HENRY, an American journalist, writing under the name of Will Irwin, born in Oneida, N. Y. in 1873, brother of Wallace Irwin. He graduated from Stanford University in 1899. He acted as editor for several papers in San Francisco in 1906-7 and was managing editor of "McClure's Magazine." From 1908 he was a maga- zine writer. He acted as war corre- spondent during the World War for American and British papers and maga- zines. He was a member of the execu- tive committee for the Commission for Relief in Belgium, in 1914-15. In 1918 he acted as chief of the foreign depart- ment on the Committee of Public In- formation. In addition to his war cor- respondence, he published several novels. His published writings include "The City that Was" (1907); "Old Chinatown" (1908) ; "The House of Mystery" (1910) ; "The Red Button" (1912); "The Splen- did Story of Ypres" (1915). ISAAC, one of the patriarchal ances- tors of the Hebrew nation and of Christ, son of Abraham and Sarah; born 1896 B. c. At the age of 40 he married Re- becca, by whom he had two sons, Esau and Jacob; the former becoming the founder of the Edomites, and the latter, under the name of Israel, the parent of the Twelve Tribes, or the Israelites. Isaac lived to attain his 180th yearr dy- ing 1716 B. c. ISAAC I., COMNENUS, Emperor of Constantinople, was the first of the Comneni who attained that dignity. Un- der the successors of Basil II. Isaac served in the army, winning the hearts
