The present volume comprises a collection of wonderful and insightful essays exploring the theme of sanctuaries in Washington Irving's The Sketch Book. These are sanctuaries of natural beauty, peacefulness, architectural splendor, and mythical vitality. In addition, the book presents a short history of sanctuaries in nineteenth-century American and European literature.

An essential read for any first year English student, this collection of essays from Washington Irving's Sketch Book contains some of the most beloved and influential pieces of American literature. From the iconic character of Rip Van Winkle to the haunting ghost story of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, these essays are masterpieces of American literary tradition. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in American literature, history, or culture. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Originally published: Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1975.