No sooner was our war with England over than our navy began to make a reputation for itself in the Mediterranean.  In his letter of August, 1815, Irving dwells with pride on Decatur’s triumph over the Algerine pirates.  He had just received a letter from “that—­worthy little tar, Jack Nicholson,” dated on board the Flambeau, off Algiers.  In it Nicholson says that “they fell in with and captured the admiral’s ship, and killed him.”  Upon which Irving remarks:  “As this is all that Jack’s brevity will allow him to say on the subject, I should be at a loss to know whether they killed the admiral before or after his capture.  The well-known humanity of our tars, however, induces me to the former conclusion.”  Nicholson, who has the honor of being alluded to in “The Croakers,” was always a great favorite with Irving.  His gallantry on shore was equal to his bravery at sea, but unfortunately his diffidence was greater than his gallantry; and while his susceptibility to female charms made him an easy and a frequent victim, he could never muster the courage to declare his passion.  Upon one occasion, when he was desperately enamored of a lady whom he wished to marry, he got Irving to write for him a love-letter, containing an offer of his heart and hand.  The enthralled but bashful sailor carried the letter in his pocket till it was worn out, without ever being able to summon pluck enough to deliver it.

While Irving was in Wales the Wiggins family and Madame Bonaparte passed through Birmingham, on their way to Cheltenham.  Madame was still determined to assert her rights as a Bonaparte.  Irving cannot help expressing sympathy for Wiggins:  “The poor man has his hands full, with such a bevy of beautiful women under his charge, and all doubtless bent on pleasure and admiration.”  He hears, however, nothing further of her, except the newspapers mention her being at Cheltenham.  “There are so many stars and comets thrown out of their orbits, and whirling about the world at present, that a little star like Madame Bonaparte attracts but slight attention, even though she draw after her so sparkling a tail as the Wiggins family.”  In another letter he exclaims:  “The world is surely topsy-turvy, and its inhabitants shaken out of place:  emperors and kings, statesmen and philosophers, Bonaparte, Alexander, Johnson, and the Wigginses, all strolling about the face of the earth.”

The business of the Irving brothers soon absorbed all Washington’s time and attention.  Peter was an invalid, and the whole weight of the perplexing affairs of the failing firm fell upon the one who detested business, and counted every hour lost that he gave to it.  His letters for two years are burdened with harassments in uncongenial details and unsuccessful struggles.  Liverpool, where he was compelled to pass most of his time, had few attractions for him, and his low spirits did not permit him to avail himself of such social advantages as were offered.  It seems that our enterprising countrymen flocked abroad,