The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1839-12-07

the genins of Cooper perVaded thejRh
There were two causes, however, wi
initiated against its unmixed popufS
in England and in America; althou
italy, France and Germany, it wasS
emnenlIy successful. The English
was sated with continental, prodNta
from English pens, in every possibIe;ship
The Bravo was regarded as only apqA3
of This genus, although comiugAfS
a source which enforced its favora5as
ception. II is not, however, lIetsX
understood, that the Bravo was uppg9hsN
lar in England; viewed with somezs
contemporaries, it was only comparsAxs
y so. lis reception was infinitely; mays
nat.cring than that which usually ata8n
ded the best continental novels &ofaas
same class. In the United States itsHa
not well received, although the caHss
just advanced, could not, in this coaat
affect it. The objection, somewhais
:;ii::cciis ono, was, :i'at it was ture
work; and, maHy thought: with seq
jealousy, that Mr. Cooper should hareM
hausted American subjects before shes$
sorted 10 ,:lc l.ackncyet themes Of Ita5
story. There may, perhaps, be soWS
foundations in wholesome rational pf3aeI
for these rrcjua;ccs. They materiaf5
affected his popularity in the United S.a,t.
although i.:s fame WAS too FIRMLY estS
i,lishci 10 be. scnsibly moved by it. : f.
has been accurately remarked BY Sir w
ter Hcois, that the reputation ri t.ss-si.ss
is neither gAinet: nor lost By q sing lie pr
ductinn. ~
In 1873, "G':,c ifc;ienmaucr (hea.herl
wa) or "The Bcncc.;c,ncz," foIloweds
the Bravo. The scenes Of this fclion are1
likewise laid IN Europe. This work, also
had to contend with tho prejhdices aboyd
mentioned. 1t was moreover written with.
somewhat less vigor and beauty Of style
than characterised the former works b,
The same author. His spirit seemed to3
Ianguish beneath foreign sky, and labn1
and art to have succeeded the freshness q
inspiration. A comparison of his two la
works with the Prairie and Red Rove
showed clearly that Amcrira was the q
rire, as well as the birthplace, of
Cvoper's genius.
The thirteenth novel of the "Aut
the Spy" and bis fourteenth wor
published in 1881. 1t is enli;ichC
Heaisman Of Ecrnc." With the W7rN
Witch, Mr.. Cnoper appears {" have hif
den adicu To the American sn!! rs n"y
vclist, and 10 have left lhc iaii 10 the
numerous aspiran.s fer his fame. WHO now
began to orHnpy the arena. The scenes
Of this nnrri are lai;! il Sutherland. Its
appearance revived in measure the wan
Ing popularity of lis author i" The United
States. although his conniryi:en were not
pleased that their most distinguished mo-
vrlist should eypatratc both himself and
his novels. The Hcahsnan is MAJ kod
with all The beauties Of Mr.. Eoopcr's best
and mos, popular compnsii"rs. We be-
liere il was previous to the publication II
this romance, that The author rccrivcd
the appointment of Charge d'Afairrs for
the United Slales at Paris. "The Moni-
kins." Mr.. Conrcr's fnurte, nth and last
navel, followed the Headsman. 1t bore
few traces of our authors man.cr, and
was limited in its popularity.
II 1923. snme political structures aa-
pearcd from lIir p"n al Mr.. Cooper, that
were roughly han.iir;i h. HE Amrrican
press. In 1886. Two series "i . Sketches
Of SwilserlanA, by an Aneritar,' and
in 1887, "i;ieland, by an American"
and "Glra:iass in Eur"rc,'' were given
TO tho pubic fTcm tic press of Carey &
La, WIN have uniformly, we bc|ieves-
hcen Mr.. Cnopcr's publishers. These
works, completing his nineteenth and las,
book. and being his thirty-eiehih vcI:'n:c,
produced in the space nf niHctccn years,
bear ics;imoney that the pen Of the mo-
vclist mas parted with no modicum of the
strength and beauty Of style, with which
he has clothed his description Of Ameri-.
can scenery in the pages of the Sry,.
prair;e and Pioneers. Mr.. Cooper has
SUPPRESSED many portions Of the original
manuscript OF the Sketches of SwiIzer-
land, for reasons which he has slightly
tonchcd upon in his preface. These vo-
lumes do not rrla:c. exclusively to Switzer-.
land: France, Germany, Italy and Hol-s
land, ale incnAca in the observatio ons of
the writer. The frs: volume opens at