Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-01-27
AMERICAN LITERATuRE.

Worfs Of mfr. Cooper, an American. TIE Sra,.
rotones, TIE Pioneers, roitixaes translated
INTO French for sale by LIE .Norn,u,,t. at frs.
2 so each scork.
MIR. COOPER, an Anglo-Amercan, who has
viewed the United States with much care and a
rare spirit OF observation, las felt how much adj
vantage new nature and new state of society
gave him over his rivals; and he has ably profit
ed by it. This novelist of the United States is
another Christopher Columbus, who extends the
boundaries of the moral world, and whose every
step IS conquest 1t is sufficient to glance
merely at the vast horizon which opens itself
before writer and poet, to comprehend the
felicity of such a creation. Every thing there
depends on him, for nothing is known. Every
thing there is without example, even to the
country in which his scene is laid; and what
contrasts develope themselves to his magma
ton! Nature, fresh as at the commencement OF
the world; society as perfect as in the midst OF
civilization; all the wonders of industry. with
all the miseres of solitude; the immense luxury
OF cities, the poverty of deserts q people whose
race Is closing transporting its e1ied tents into
the midst of a world whose race is lust bepin-
nng; young and vigorous population throw
ing aside the refuse ofworn- nations! What
shall add-merchants. soldiers, sayarcs. On the
other hand, it is, unfortunately, too true, for
Mr. COOPER, that this very invention, for such is
the name that should be given to so happy and
novel an idea, has deprived him of many Tesour.
ces. He has no monuments to paint, but those
OF the creation; no traditions to preserve. but
such as his contemporaries have transmitted to
thelrdescendants. Nothing ancientt there belopps
10 history; nothing new to poetry. The countr;
presents no other antiquities than its rivers and
forests. You must seek their for no characters
and no other manners but such as have been
carried thIther from Europe by those herds OF
transplanted slaves; or by restless travellers or
greedy spectators, fugtives, or exiles who are
called colonlsts ; wandering family escaping
from our civilization, like Eneas, from the ruins
OF Troy, with their gods and their affections.
which they forget ON the way. Singular mira
Gle 1t Is proposed for us to go and seek for
models OF social life among wandering tribes,
which have scarcely had time to say, this field
is mine.n Those indeed who pass their lives in
imagining harmless fjctons will prefer to ask in
sPiration from land which has its recoilections.
from religion which has its temples, from a
generation which has its ancestors. Butthe in
Dovatlon that Mr. Cooper has ventured to make
In this species of literature must not be blamed :
1T indicates true and Just estimate of the actual
wants of our civilization, which requires more
than ever ichat is ,elo, and Graves like Alexan-
der other worlds to conquer, in order to discover
some new manner of feeling, to experience some
new emotions. But to Mr.. Cooper,s novels
These two excellent works are incontestabIv the
the most remarkable in their kind after those of
Sir Walter Scott, for which We arc indebted to
foreign literature. The character of the Snr
equals perhaps in originality his best sustained
conceptions and the scenes of the Pioneers
scarcely yield to those pictures 30 true TO ma
ture, of localities and manners, that have 1ra.e
the reputation Of the author of Waverly,
PUNSTERS.--A punster is another pestilcnt
foe to good conversation, whose miserable delight
Is to disturb nuddie the cIearness of its cur
rent, Of this We had notable specimen oflate
when Edwari Stukely brought down and intro,
dueed new acquaintance Of his, Mr.. Neverout
person connected with some newspaper. He
entered upon his vocation the moment thet he
alighted from the coach. When tie elder St,ike.
ley asked him If he had had pleasant Journey. he
said he was no jo07,egDnrt, hut mastcr-prirter
Captain Sandys inquired what stay he proposed e
makes he replied he was no sEdamaScr. The
Commodore wishing, by way of compliment. f.
be informed OF the state of the pubic press he i'm
nediately referred him To Mr.. Iryinr,s chanel II
Hatton Garden. This turn being given to n,
conversation, 1t was remarked That morals h.,
lately declined in this country; and he said there
was a substantive reason for that decJensjor
| which arose from the PEOPLE not coniurati,lc q
they did m the good old time. Attea Mrs. stufeJe,
inquired concerning the5tatc Of sssGalc literature
&assed whethert.ierew ercnoiy tug niy;e s,ookirs
clubs in London? hc answered, t,at the member
were act atprese.t LDlitfel tqsethsrir I'm f.rtrs