The-Letters-of-Jonathan-Oldstyle

TheLettersofJonathanOldstyleBackgroundInformation•TheLettersofJonathanOldstyle,Gent(1802)isacollectionofnineobservationalletterswrittenbyAmericanwriterWashingtonIrvingunderthepseudonymJonathanOldstyle.ThelettersfirstappearedintheNovember15,1802,editionoftheNewYorkMorningChronicle,apolitical-leaningnewspaperpartiallyownedbyNewYorkerAaronBurr,andeditedbyIrving'sbrother,Peter.TheletterswereprintedatirregularintervalsuntilApril23,1803.Theletterssatirizemarriage,manners,dress,andcultureofearly19thcenturyNewYork.TheyareIrving'sdebutinprint.Content:Letters1and2:Marriageandmanners•Irving‘sfirstOldstyleletterappearedintheNovember15,1802,editionoftheMorningChronicle.Inhisfirstletter,Irvingmockedthecurrenttrendsindressandfashion,trainingmostofhiscriticismonyoungmenwhoaremoreinterestedinthemselvesthanintheunfortunate.•AsecondletterfollowedonNovember20,thistimepokingfunatthestrangeandpreposterousmannerinwhichmodernmarriagesareconducted.DescribingthemarriagebetweenOldstyle’sauntBarbaraandanironically-namedSquireStylish,Irvingjuxtaposedmodernmannersagainstoldetiquette,concludingthatnoonecouldreadsuchacomparisonofoldversusnew.Letters6,7and8:Theatricalcontroversy•Oldstyle’scommentaryonthetheaterriledsomeintheNewYorktheaterdistrict,buttempersfinallyflared.TheruckusbeganwithIrving’sJanuary17,1803,letter,hissixth,inwhichQuoz,anewcharacterintroducedbyIrvingasafriendofOldstyle’s,tookabackhandedshotatcriticsfortakingallthefunoutofthetheater.•Fivedayslater,inhisseventhletter,IrvinghadOldstylecomplainabouttheplayTheWheelofTruth,knowingitwouldprovokearesponsefromColemanandCheetham,whohadbeenfeudingpubliclyabouttheauthorshipoftheplayIrving’sletterhadthedesiredeffect,asCheethamandColemanelevatedtheirattacksontheplay’sauthor,itsactors,andeachother.•Delightedwiththereaction,IrvingrespondedinmockinnocenceonFebruary8thathewasperfectlyatalossastowhatallthefusswasabout.Letter9:Dueling•Irving’sfinalletterappearedtwomonthslater,inhisletterofApril23,1803,Irvingdiscussedthepracticeofdueling,whichhadrecentlybeenformallyoutlawedinNewYork.Quozrecommendsinsteadthatduelistsdrawlotstoseewhogetstohaveabrickdroppedonhisheadfromawindow.HeevensuggeststhatduelingbelicensedbytheBloodandThunderofficeofthestateasanofficialevent.PublicReaction•TheOldstyleletterswerewellreceivedinNewYork—anddespitetheuseofthepseudonym,Irving’sidentityasOldstylewasnotasecret.Thepublicenjoyedthem,andChronicleco-publisherAaronBurrwasimpressedenoughtosendcopiesofthefirstfiveletterstohisdaughter.WilliamDunlap,managerofNewYork'sParkTheater,alsothoughthighlyofOldstyle,latercallingIrving’sletterspleasanteffusions,butnotedpolitelyatthetimethattheirritationOldstylewasprovokinginhisactorswasexcessive.EvenWilliamColemanatthecompetingEveningPostthoughtIrving,forallhisOldstylebluster,hadtalentasacritic.