Washington Irving, hurt and depressed by the critical reception to Tales of a Traveller, has retreated to Paris where he has spent 1825 worrying about finances and scribbling down ideas for projects that never materialize.

While in Paris, Irving receives a letter from Alexander Hill Everett on January 30, 1826.

Everett, recently the American Minister to Spain, urges Irving to join him in Madrid, noting that a number of manuscripts dealing with the Spanish conquest of the Americas have recently been made public.

Irving leaves for Madrid, where he will enthusiastically begin scouring the Spanish archives for colorful material.