"The Oxford Book of American Essays" is a diverse collection of carefully-selected essays by notable and influential American writers and essayists. With contributions from such seminal figures as Washington Irvine, Francis Hopkinson, and Benjamin Franklin, this is a book that will appeal to all lovers of the English Language, and one that would make for a worthy addition to any collection. Contents include: "The Ephemera: An Emblem Of Human Life", "The Whistle", "Dialogue Between Franklin And The Gout", "Consolation For The Old Bachelor", "John Bull", "The Mutability Of Literature", "Kean's Acting", "On A Certain Condescension In Foreigners", etc. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.