WASHINGTON IRVING, the first biography published in the American Men
of Letters Series, came out in December, 1881. It was an expansion of a
biographical and critical sketch prefixed to the first volume of a new
edition of Irving's works which began to appear in 1880. It was entitled
the Geoffrey Crayon edition, and was in twenty-seven volumes, which
were brought out, in most cases, in successive months. The first volume
appeared in April. The essay was subsequently published during the same
year in a volume entitled “Studies of Irving,” which contained also
Bryant's oration and George P. Putnam's personal reminiscences.
“The Work of Washington Irving” was published early in August, 1893.
Originally it was delivered as a lecture to the Brooklyn Institute
of Arts and Sciences on April 3, 1893, the one hundred and tenth
anniversary of Irving's birth.