Washington Irving

1783–1859 · American author, essayist & historian

Washington Irving was one of the first American writers to win international fame, best known for the stories “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” He published Tales of a Traveller in 1824 under his pen name Geoffrey Crayon, framing its stories with a wry, self-deprecating preface addressed “To the Reader.” His genial, ironic voice made lines like this one quotable long after the book itself faded from popularity.

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“There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse”

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