two and two, singing the great song of St. Nicholas.  Then the Couenhovens, of Sleepy Hollow.  These gave birth to a jolly race of publicans, who first discovered the magic artifice of conjuring a quart of wine into a pint bottle.—­Then the Van Kortlandts, who lived on the wild banks of the Croton, and were great killers of wild ducks, being much spoken of for their skill in shooting with the long bow.—­Then the Van Bunschotens, of Nyack and Kakiat, who were the first that did ever kick with the left foot.  They were gallant bushwhackers and hunters of raccoons by moonlight.—­Then the Van Winkles, of Haerlem, potent suckers of eggs, and noted for running of horses, and running up of scores at taverns.  They were the first that ever winked with both eyes at once.—­Lastly came the knickerbockers, of the great town of Scaghtikoke, where the folk lay stones upon the houses in windy weather, lest they should be blown away.  These derive their name, as some say, from Knicker, to shake, and Beker, a goblet, indicating thereby that they were sturdy tosspots of yore; but, in truth, it was derived from Knicker, to nod, and Boeken, books:  plainly meaning that they were great nodders or dozers over books.  From them did descend the writer of this history.”

In the midst of Irving’s mock-heroics, he always preserves a substratum of good sense.  An instance of this is the address of the redoubtable wooden-legged governor, on his departure at the head of his warriors to chastise the Swedes: 

“Certain it is, not an old woman in New Amsterdam but considered Peter Stuyvesant as a tower of strength, and rested satisfied that the public welfare was secure so long as he was in the city.  It is not surprising, then, that they looked upon his departure as a sore affliction.  With heavy hearts they draggled at the heels of his troop, as they marched down to the river-side to embark.  The governor, from the stern of his schooner, gave a short but truly patriarchal address to his citizens, wherein he recommended them to comport like loyal and peaceable subjects,—­to go to church regularly on Sundays, and to mind their business all the week besides.  That the women should be dutiful and affectionate to their husbands,—­looking after nobody’s concerns but their own,—­eschewing all gossipings and morning gaddings,—­and carrying short tongues and long petticoats.  That the men should abstain from intermeddling in public concerns, intrusting the cares of government to the officers appointed to support them, staying at home, like good citizens, making money for themselves, and getting children for the benefit of their country.  That the burgomasters should look well to the public interest,—­not oppressing the poor nor indulging the rich,—­not tasking their ingenuity to devise new laws, but faithfully enforcing those which were already made, rather bending their attention to prevent evil than to punish it; ever recollecting that civil magistrates