The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And he delighteth in his way;
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

I have been young, and now am old,
Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his seed begging bread. 
He is ever merciful, and lendeth,
And his seed is blessed.

Depart from evil, and do good,
And dwell for evermore;
For the Lord loveth judgment,
And forsaketh not his saints;
They are preserved forever: 
But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. 
The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell therein forever. 
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom,
And his tongue talketh of judgment;
The law of his God is in his heart;
None of his steps shall slide. 
The wicked watcheth the righteous,
And seeketh to slay him. 
The Lord will not leave him in his hand,
Nor condemn him when he is judged.

Wait on the Lord, and keep his way,
And he shall exalt thee to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. 
I have seen the wicked in great power,
And spreading himself like a green bay tree;
Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not;
Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. 
                                   —­From the Thirty-seventh Psalm.

XLVII.  CHARACTER OF COLUMBUS. (192)

Washington Irving, 1783-1859.  Among those whose works have enriched American literature, and have given it a place in the estimation of foreigners, no name stands higher than that of Washington Irving.  He was born in the city of New York; his father was a native of Scotland, and his mother was English.  He had an ordinary school education, and at the age of sixteen began the study of law.  Two of his older brothers were interested in literary pursuits; and in his youth he studied the old English authors.  He was also passionately fond of books of travel.  At the age of nineteen, he began his literary career by writing for a paper published by his brother.  In 1804 be made a voyage to the south of Europe.  On his return he completed his studies in law, but never practiced his profession.  “Salmagundi,” his first book (partly written by others), was published in 1807.  This was followed, two years later, by “Knickerbocker’s History of New York.”  Soon after, he entered into mercantile pursuits in company with two brothers.  At the close at the war with England he sailed again for Europe, and remained abroad seventeen years.  During his absence he formed the acquaintance of the most eminent literary men of his time, and wrote several of his works; among them were:  “The Sketch Book,” “Bracebridge Hall,” “Tales of a Traveler,” “Life and Voyages of Columbus,” and the “Conquest of Granada.”  On his return he made a journey west of the Mississippi, and gathered materials for several other books.  From 1842 to 1846 he was Minister to Spain.  On his return to America he established his residence at “Sunnyside,” near Tarrytown, on the Hudson, where he passed the last years of his life.  A young lady to whom he was attached having died in early life, Mr. Irving never married.