Comedy and America: The Lost World of Washington Irving

American appeared artistic associated attempt battle become beginning body burlesque comedy called century chapter character civilization Cockloft comic common continually create critic dancing devoted Dutch earlier early elements England English essay example experience expression fact fiction figure finally French give given Gotham head History humor humorist imagination Irving Irving's Italy kind Knickerbocker later learned letters literary literature madness major matter meaning mind mode moral myth narrator nature never nose once opening original past period philosopher play political satire present Rabelais reader reason reference represented Salmagundi seems self-conscious sense serial Shandy sketch spirit Sterne story structure tale tell theme thing tion tradition treated Tristram true turn usually values vision voice Washington whimsical whole Wizard writing Yankee York