Epilogue

This epilogue presents an overview of Washington Irving's career beyond his major Diedrich Knickerbocker works and their contemporary reception at home and abroad. It notes his continued interest in Knickerbocker's subject matter, his repeated revisions of A History of New York , and the publication of minor, related Knickerbocker writings. While the History remained popular, its humor continued to draw criticism for what some considered its crudeness; likewise, some Dutch Americans took offense at his facetious treatment of their ancestors. The chapter also remarks on the progress of the Dutch Saint Nicholas, explored in the third chapter, beyond Irving's transformation of that figure toward the American Santa Claus. Finally, it offers an overview of Knickerbocker-inspired works by Irving's contemporaries, his own thoughts on the Knickerbocker heritage, and his more recent reputation.