The Mutability of Literature is a short story by Washington Irving, originally published in 1819. WASHINGTON IRVING [1783–1859] was an American author, historian, and diplomat. During his lifetime, Irving was highly esteemed as a writer, producing historical works, travelogues, and biographies of figures such as George Washington and Christopher Columbus. For posterity, he is primarily remembered as a short story writer, with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow being his most famous. Between 1842–1854, Irving served as the U.S. ambassador to Spain.