Letter from Dimitri Ivanovich Dolgorouki (Dolgorukov), Madrid, to Washington Irving, 1829 October 14 : autograph manuscript signed.

Regretting not hearing from him for a while and saying, based on what he heard from an eyewitness, that he knows how much Irving regrets leaving Granada. He hopes that one day Irving will be able to return to his writing. Dolgorouki has not officially been called back to Russia, so he is planning another trip to Andalusia and hopes Irving will be able to join him. If not, he may go to visit him in London. Dolgorouki just read, in the Messager des chambres (a French newspaper) an amusing critique of Irving's work on the Granada War and Irving's response to the editor, a model of dignity and moderation. He says that there are so many men of letters and so little literary independence in France. He's sure there will be other controversy about the work, which has received a great deal of criticism and many varying opinions. He thinks this is because the literary world has considered the historical facts from only one point of view that it has become accustomed to and was surprised by a whole new way of looking at the character of the Arabs and of that period of time in Spanish history. In any case, he feels that only praise is not as useful as solid criticism, even if late. Praise disappears quickly. He knows, in any case, that Britain is well aware of Irving's literary talent. The news of Mr. Montgomery, so long awaited by those who had heard him praised so highly by Mr. Everett, has made no impression on the Spaniards. He thinks Everett's praise was exaggerated. Everett is translating Irving's work on Columbus and may do a very good job since he knows Spanish so well, although he is not actually a talented author. Dolgorouki finds his works to be common and cold. They lack the vivid description and understanding of the human heart found in Irving's works. Stoffregen has written to him about a German book by Huber that contains several articles about Granada and all the places Dolgorouki and Irving visited together. Stoffregen, who loves Spain, thinks it's one of the best books ever published about Spain. He asks Irving to send him some of his sketches of Granada as soon as he makes them public.