TheAuthor’sAountofHiself
华盛顿·欧文/Washgt
Iwasalwaysfondofvisitgnewses，andstrangecharactersandanners.EvenwhenarechildIbeganytravels，andadeanytoursofdisverytnpartsandunknionsofynativecity，tothefrequentarofyparents，andtheeontofthetown-crier.AsIgrewtoboyhoodIextendedyrangeofobservations.MyholidayafternoonswerespentrableaboutthesurroundguntryIadeyselffailiarwithallitspcesfaohistoryorfable.Ikneweveryspotwhereaurderorrobberyhadbeenitted，hostseen.Ivisitedtheneighbvilges，andaddedgreatlytoystockofknowledge，bynotgtheirhabitsandctos，andnversgwiththeirsagesandgreatn.Ievenjourneyedonelongsur’sdaytothesuitoftheostdistanthill，whereIstretchedyeyeoveranyaileofterragnita，andwasastoof？dhowvastaglobeIhabited.
Thisrablgpropensitystrengthenedwithyears.Booksofvoyagesandtravelsbecaypassion，anddevtheirsIedtheregurexercisesoftheschools.HowwistfullywouldIwanderaboutthepier-headsf？eweatherandwatchthepartgshipsboundtodistantclis—withwhatlonggeyeswouldIgazeaftertheirlessengsails，andwaftyselfiagationtotheendsoftheearth！
Furtherreadgandthkg，thoughtheybroughtthisvaguetoorereasonablebounds，onlyservedtoakeitoredecided.Ivisitedvariopartsofyownuntry；andhadIbeenrelyaloveroff？esery，Ishouldhavefeltlittledesiretoseekelsewhereitsgratif？ication，foronnountryhavethecharsofnaturebeenoreprodigallyvished.Herightykeslikeosofliquidsilver；herountaswiththeirbrightaerialtts；hervalleys，teegwithwildfertility；hertrendocataracts，thundergtheirsolitudes；herboundlessps，wavgwithspontaneoverdure；herbroaddeeprivers，rollgsolensileotheo；hertracklessforests，wherevegetationputsforthallitsagnif？ice；herskies，kdlgwiththeagicofsurcloudsandgloriosunshe，—no，neverneedanArilookbeyondhisownuntryforthesubliaifulofnaturalsery.
ButEuropeheldforththecharsofstoriedandpoeticalassociation.Thereweretobeseeerpiecesofart，theref？entofhighly，cultivatedsociety，thequatpeculiaritiesofaandlocalynativeuntrywasfullofyouthfulproise；Europewasrichtheauutedtreasuresofage.Herveryrtoldthehistoryoftisgoneby，andeveryouldergstonewasaicle.Iloowanderoverthesesofrenownedachievent—totread，asitwere，thefootstepsofantiquity—toloiterabouttheruedcastle—toditateonthefallgtower—toescape，short，frotheonpcerealitiesofthepresent，andloseyselfaongtheshadowygrandeursofthepast.