Even though Roscoe was unfortunate in business, Irving addresses him as having ". . . [a] superior society of his own thoughts" (25) which means that Irving measures success through intelligent thoughts and words more than through good and noble actions.
Also, Irving's stories exemplify his interests in the political and social activities of men. Not only in "Roscoe" is Irving interested in the politics and society of the time; also, in "John Bull," Irving shows an interest in politics and the social environment. Through the character of John Bull, Irving is able to share his own feelings, employing some humor, towards England and its people. He writes, "Its walls within are stored with the monuments of John's ancestors; and it is snugly fitted up with soft cushions and well-lined chairs, where such of his family as are inclined to church services may doze comfortably in the discharge of their duties" (304). By writing about John's house, Irving is able to explain his feelings towards the way society functions in England; many ancient buildings are restored to look exactly as they have always looked to ensure the conservation of history through time. Likewise, "John Bull" is a representation of the pride Englishmen and women have in their country. Irving goes on analyzing the way servants are paid, houses are organized, children are educated, and even whims and habits that society has to preserve old families.
Additionally, the concern with universal ideas is another important Neoclassical characteristic incorporated into Irving's stories. In "Traits of Indian Character," Irving writes a defense in the name of Native Americans; he says that "the whites have too frequently set them an example of violence by burning their villages and laying waste their slender means of subsistence; and yet they wonder that savages do not show moderation and magnanimity toward those who have left them nothing but mere existence and wretchedness" (278).