Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1859-05-25
James Fenim ,re Cooper,


No American writer has achieved % world
wide popularity as he whose name stands az
the head Gf this article; none has been AZ once
50 much admired at home and 50 generally read
abroad, Indeed, his reputation IL even greater
in Europe than in America, His works have
been rspuhished again and again, in balIa dozen
of the capitals Of the civilized world, have been
translated in half u dozen languages and great
Partisan critics have not hesta'ed 20 rank cooper
along side OF Walter Scott, Many causes eomhin,
ed 10 procnre for HIM this enyiable fame, Oi
course, the greatestwas his genius, hut peenlarl-
ties of his character assisted in making this
greatness Ills genius and his character were
both essentially American he chose Tor hls
themes the deck of the American irigate, the life
Of the American sailor, or the paths ol the
American forest aud the striGes between the
American Indian and the American pioneer. The
ycry names of the novels Indicate the intense ma
tionality Of his mind. And this nationality not
only, as il should have done, cndcarcd him to
those with whom he shared it, not only was u
claim. gladly recognized, upon the consideration
of his c1untrymcn, hut won for him the apprc-
citation of others. Everybody likes to see a hear
ty, honest individuality; even foreign nations
found charm in Cooper's fresh and genuine
patriotic (erv0r.
That feryor was not, however, confined to feel
ing the same raciness, the same freshness that
marked the selection of his subjects, is apparent
in every mage Of their development The power
with which characters are lmned, the complete
pictures afforded Of new and interesting charact-
ers, the way in which these characters stahd OUT
in the Imagination and memory OF the reader
the figures in stereoscopic view, their lille ike
ness, their naturalness, are all indications oi nn
common power. Then the extraordinary descript-
i've talent evidenced by our great countryman'
his ability to set before the minds eye the scene
of the prairie and the backwoods, the storms NJ
sea, and the fights of rival naves. contribute an
other of the peculiar powers, while his sK'ii III
narratinc is no less remarkable; his plots are
often simple, his incidents and characters always
few, his situations not remarkably dramatic, NJ
lenst in these days of the novels of Dumas nnn
Sue and George Sand, but he contrives to enlist
the interest of every reader Mt the very outset
and carry it with to him to the denouement.--
lie enters in no metaphysical intricacies OF feel
Ing. he attempts no profound dissection OF
human character, he sets before us no morbid
or sided monstrosity Of human nature nut
taking characters good and bad, ordinary ana
extraordinary, such rs every one IN MS eA'
nrrience is sure to meet. Cooper, like 5 Sakes-
penre and Dickens, from such material Is able TO
weave n story that none are willing TO iay DOWN
until it's conclusion is portrayed. Inc impress
ion on every page of this work is that the au'hor
Y
enrnest: pure minded, but one who has seen lie
and the world; who has studied humanity; who
had also seen and studied external nature IN
many of her crandest and rarest developments.
The purity of his books is indeed feature that
gives them an additional merit that proves genius
0fa high order NAV exist without any taint OF
the courseness or sonsuality which tants so
much of the ability of our day
But it would require whole columns to exhaust
criticism upon Cooper; he has been, ere now
thoroughly and frequently discussed. and 1t may
seem work of superogation to attempt any es-
innate of his genius ut present; but he has been
of late brouah Int more prominently before the
public attention by an enterprise which suggest
ed the foregoing remarks.
Messrs. IL. A, Townsend i Co., of New York
are engaged in the publication of complete eu'-
tion of Cooper's works, which is designed 10 oe
in every way worthy of the great American
novelist. The spirit in which it has been begun
is a worthy tribute to his Literally exce'lcnce.
The edition is to consist OF thirty-two Voiumes'
each to contain complete wo' k, ana Will t., en-
brace all his novels one volume Is TO De Pnol'S,i-
cd on the first OF every month three are already
bernre ia. 1.-The Pioneers" ''rhe Red Rover
and .rrhe Last of the Momcans.' They are got
ten up in the most admirable style OF the puo'lsh-
ers art. The paper, binding, printing are an
of the fist class: the size is convenient ana t''e
whole appearance of the book elegant Eacn
volume is to be illustrated by barley, whose
genius for this sort of labor is we'll known an"
appreciated The illustrations are to be I'VE nun
drel in number and engraved by the first artists
of the BURN, in the country. Those already De-
fore the public are works Of art f" of the ; very
spirit of the original; conceived in barley 5
happiest mood, and executed with all the correct
ness, the life, the grace the expression that as
tineuish the first draughtsman of America; NO
previous edition of Cooper's works is ut al com,
nnrabe with this of which we speak.-N'
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