incapacity, his "gun" having grown rusty.
In "Rip Van Winkle," Dawson concludes, Irving was subtly trying to remind his readers of "the connection between liberty and libertine." Still, Rip's life did end happily, as he settled back into the village without Dame Van Winkle. This, says Dawson, may reflect Irving's growing affection for independent America, despite his fears.
Lost in "'The Great Dark': Invisible Spheres, Formed in Fright" James C. Wilson,...