Rebecca of Ivanhoe. WASHINGTON IRVING'S FIRST AND ONLY LOVE.
Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 685, 4 November 1876, Page 1
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Rebecca of Ivanhoe. WASHINGTON IRVING'S FIRST AND ONLY LOVE.
The Chronicle recently printed the following vagrant item under the Personal head Ali«. Grun-ly a*y« tail tin origin il of 'Sir Walter Sot's Rihaei*, m fia novel of 'Iranhoe' was a Pailade'phii Jevesi, whose picture Washington Irving showed to Scott.' This 'publication tan called from a wellinformed correspondent 9 3rne interesting particular* of the part taken bj Irving iv supplying Scott with this interesting literary pictui'B from real life, including the American author's early love! dfosapointmen', and the mutual vows of celibacy taken by himself nnd tile la.ly who loved but was not permitted to wed' him and who is reDroduced in Scott's charming charauter of Rebecca. Our correspondent ha< tbi« information from a relative of the Ldy in question, and the already known facts leave but little room to doubt that these freshly published details are subitantially correct. The story, as our correspondent relates it, is as follows- Washington Irving, in early life, became acquainted with a very intelligent and beautiful Jewess in Pkilalelphid, by the name of Rebecca Gratz. This acquiintanco ripened into love, in which b^th shared, and Irving propjsod marriage, and was accepted on condition that the parents of the lady would consent to iho unijn ot their daughter with a G-ontilo. Tho Hebrew religion forbade such a nnrriige, and though the parents esteemed the suitor highly, they could not bring their mind? to consent t> a violation of so sacred a regulation of their faith. Tae attach- rae'fft^was so strong between the la<ly nnd Irving that nothing but their elevated, sense of the duty of a child to parental authority Icnpt them from wddiug Thi-y resolved, however, that in ieutim -nt they would remain true to each other through life and nover wed It was during this state of their relations that Irving made his first visit to Sir Walter Scott. The latter had already made for himself an undying repution as an author, and the former, with bis literary; productions, had attracted the attention of the Wizard of tho North,' who was at that time incubating in his mind that wonderful story of Ivanhoo.' Personal intercourse with Irving so won upon Scott's confidence that he sketched to him' the plan of the story, confessing, at the same time, that he felt the need of a heroine other than Rowena. Irving's heart and head were full of his romantic lovd for Rebecca G-riitz, and he modestly proffered to furnish Scott with a heroine, many of the incidents connected with whom should be drawn from real life. The offer was accepted, and Irving's Rebecca, mutually pledged with him to unwedded earthly fidelity, stood as the model of tho immortal Rebecca of Ivanhoe.' Seott,of course, adapted it to the exigencies of his story, but the great ideal as furnished by Irving was unchanged. It is known to everyono that Irving never was married, and those who wow
intimate with him know also, or believed, that the cause of it was an early attach: ment, about which a cloud of mystery hung, rendering him insensible to the blandishments and charms of other women, by whom he was highly esteemed and in the breast of some, it was supposed a warmer sentiment existed. .Rebecca Gratx, gentle and loving, with heart and hand ever open to suffering and sorrow, remained true to her plighted faith, and, like Irving, died unwedded.
