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ISA delightful sketches, "The Alhambra" (not published till 1832), and the "Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada," 1829, announced by a pleasant fiction as the handiwork of a certain "Fray Antonio Agapida." Though Irving permitted himself in this work more than a historian's licence, it has been praised by Prescott for its strictly historical truth. The year after the appearance of the biography of Columbus, the literary merits and stainless character of its author were recognized by his own government, and he was appointed secretary to the American legation in London. Returning to London to enter on his official duties, he met with in metropolitan society the reception to which he was entitled. The university erf Oxford conferred on him a degree; and of the two gold medals placed by George IV. at the disposal of the Royal Society of Literature, to be assigned to the most successful cultivators of historical literature, Irving received one, and the late Mr. Hallam the other. Resigning his diplomatic functions in 1831, he returned after a long absence to America, a distinguished and respected man. He was banqueted in New York, and only his own modesty prevented him from making a triumphant progress through the States. Perhaps it was to escape from the enthusiasm of his admirers that a few months after his arrival he started for the far west, in the company of a federal official among others, to make the journey pleasantly chronicled in his "Tour on the Prairies," afterwards published, with his "Recollections of Abbotsford and Newstead abbey," and his "Legends of the Conquest of Spain," in his "Crayon Miscellany" of 1835. In "Astoria," 1836, he sketched the history of the remarkable enterprise which his friend John Jacob Astor had set on foot many years before, to carry the fur trade across the Rocky Mountains, and sweep the shores of the Pacific. In "The Adventures of Captain Bonneval, or scenes beyond the Rocky mountains of the far west," 1837, he worked up the autobiographical materials of a United States military officer who had abandoned civilized life to roam among the haunts of the Red man. He contributed in succeeding years copiously to the Knickerbocker Magazine, and some of these contributions were republished in 1855 in the volume of "Chronicles of Wolfert's Roost"—this, by the way, being the name given by him to the estate which he purchased after his return to America in 1831. To 1841 belongs his "Life and Poetical Remains of the late Margaret Davidson." In 1842, and though not at all a party politician, he received the appointment of minister to Spain, and resided in that capacity at Madrid until the election of a new president in 1845. Returning to America, he spent the remainder of his life in happy and unenforced literary labour, on the estate, which the now called Sunnyside, on the banks of the Hudson, twenty-five miles from New York, and where he dispensed a liberal hospitality. Between the years 1848-50 he superintended the publication of a collective edition of his works, in fifteen volumes, occasionally interspersing some pleasant and interesting autobiographical matter. To this edition he contributed two original works, also published separately—a delightful and unpretending "Life of Goldsmith," 1849, and "Mahomet and his Successors," 1849-50; historical biographies for which he had years before collected the material, with a view of writing a life of Mahomet for the Family Library. During his early acquaintance with Scott, Constable had suggested to him a life of George Washington; but this was the latest of his literary enterprises, and completed in 1859. Graceful in its style, calm and impartial in its tone, embodying the results of the latest researches into the biography of Washington and the history of the American revolution, it formed a fitting close to Irving's long literary career. He died at Sunnyside, in his seventy-eighth year, on the 28th November, 1859, having enriched the literature of his country with many excellent works, some of them among the most graceful in the English language, and bequeathing to the biography of authorship a life singularly pure, honourable, and happy.—F. E.  ISAAC I., became emperor at Constantinople in 1185, on the death of Andronicus Comnenus. Although he immediately after plunged into a vortex of luxury and dissipation, he speedily became involved in a fierce war with the Bulgarians. The result of this war was very disastrous to the Greek empire. The war had its origin in the exactions of Isaac, of whom Gibbon says, "His poverty was relieved by oppression, and the public discontent was inflamed by equal abuses in the collection and the application of the revenue." Isaac sent "a splendid and scandalous embassy to Saladin to demand the restitution of the Holy Sepulchre, and to propose an offensive and defensive league with the enemy of the christian name;" but, says Gibbon, "his embassies were received with honour, dismissed without effect, and reported with scandal in the West." Several candidates for the purple rose and fell under his empire. In 1193 he was more successful in a second war with the Bulgarians. During his reign Cyprus was lost to the Byzantine empire, as well as the province of Bulgaria. While he was hunting in Thrace, revolt broke out at Constantinople. His brother Alexius usurped the throne by the suffrage of the army, and the election was ratified by the citizens. On hearing of the revolt Isaac took to flight, but was pursued, arrested, and brought back to Constantinople, where his eyes were put out, and he was confined in a lonesome tower on a scanty allowance of bread and water. On the deposition of Alexius in 1203 Isaac was restored to the throne with his son, who was deposed in 1204; and in the year following Isaac died, leaving a memory equally odious to Greeks and Latins, and which not even his calamities could render honourable.—B. H. C.  ISAAC II. , Emperor of the East, was the son of Manuel Comnenus, and the successor of Michael VI., who was deposed in 1057. Isaac, whose family claimed an Italian origin, lost his father in early life, but had been carefully trained by Basil II., and had been appointed by him to important offices. He married the daughter of a Bulgarian king, a princess who was at the time a captive at Constantinople. When the revolt broke out which expelled Michael, Isaac was in Paphlagonia; but he reluctantly complied with the desire of the deputies who waited upon him to inform him of his nomination. The revolutionary forces were concentrated, and in the first onset those of Michael were repulsed. Michael proposed to divide the power with Isaac, but this was overruled, and the former laid aside his purple and retired to a monastery; his subjects were released from their allegiance, and Isaac received the crown. The new emperor rewarded the conspirators who had elevated him, but at the same time dispersed them; and he endeavoured to improve the exhausted finances of the state by new taxes, as well as by personal economy. The clergy, led by the patriarch, refused to take their share of the burden, and their murmurs were only silenced by the patriarch's exile and decease soon after. Isaac's only military exploit after his elevation was in 1059, when he marched against the Hungarians, and with successful results. His prudent and decisive measures contributed to the welfare of the state in various ways; but, soon after his Hungarian expedition his health failed, and "the prospect of approaching death determined him to interpose some months between life and eternity;" in short he abdicated, and assumed the monastic habit. Zonaras records (Annal. tom. 3) that there is some uncertainty as to the reasons which led Isaac to resign his crown; but both Psellus and Thracesius, whom he quotes, refer to the sickness of the emperor and his entrance into a monastery. He nominated as his successor Constantino Ducas, and survived his retirement two years. He died about 1061. He wrote some scholia on the Iliad which are still extant.—B. H. C.  ISAAC,, theologian, born at Claythorpe, Lincolnshire, July 7, 1778, had the advantage of a good education in early life, entered the Wesleyan ministry in 1799, and died at York, April, 1834. His writings, which are mainly controversial, are remarkable for their perspicuity, originality, and power, and are enlivened by a large admixture of biting sarcasm and racy wit. The principal are—"Ecclesiastical Claims," "Baptism Discussed," "Universal Restoration," and an incomplete treatise on the atonement. His works were published in 1839.—W. B. B.  ISAAC,, or, as the Italians called him, , a celebrated musician who flourished in the fifteenth century. He was born in Germany about the year 1440, and is said to have studied music under the renowned Josquin Depres. In 1475 he visited Italy, and was appointed master of the chapel of San Giovanni at Florence; and shortly afterwards musical instructor to the children of Lorenzo di Medici. He had the superintendence of the musical education of the Campagnia del Vangelista in that city, and was greatly esteemed by the literary and learned men of his time. Besides the patronage of Lorenzo he enjoyed the friendship of Politian, who makes honourable mention of him in his letters. Isaac is chiefly known as a composer of sacred music; but he set to music several secular dramas, and many of the songs of Lorenzo de' Medici. His beautiful part song "Inspruck ich muss dich lassen" (Inspruck, 