The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-01-21

BY far the most interesting and crcdtable
volume in the series OF American Men OF
Letters" published by Mcssrs. Houghton.
Miifln 4 Co.. is the biography Of James F,1u-
more Cooper. by Prof. THOMAS Il. LouNsBuRY.
Tho writer of this narrative may with conf
dence submit his performance to comparison
with any OF the work done for the analogous
collection entitled English Men OF Letters"
although the latter venture has employed
many OF the most discerning critics and ac-
complished literary craftsmen in Great Britain.
He has evinced remarkable industry in collect
ing and uncommon deNtcrity in arranging his
materials. and he gives proof Of q sound and
enlightened judgment in discussing his sub
jcct's personal character and artistic merits.
With such engaging and trustworthy pre-
sentaiion. life OF Cooper ought to find
rs many readers rs novel; for while
there was much that was strange and
exciting in his career. and something
startling in the swift acquisition and almost
unrivalled range Of his literary reputation. this
is actually the first attempt to furnish bio
graphical account and critical estimate OF the
man and the writer on anything like an nde-
quatc scale. and in spirit at once discriminate
ing and equitable. A large part OF the matter
contained in this volume has never before been
given to the public in any form Cooper him
self in his last days laid II strict injunction on
his family that no authorized memoir OF him
should be published and the natural curiosity
respecting the most widely known of American
authors has heretofore been forced to content
itself with the meagrc sketches supplied by
magazines and cyclopTdins whose details have
not always been trustworthy.
Tho first thing to bear in mind regarding the
subject OF this biography and it is one Of which
Prof. Lounshury has never allowed himself to
lose sight. is the great and abiding fact of
Cooper's popularity. They who insist upon
looking in his work for what is not there-tho
specific charm OF Balzac. or Thnckeray. or
George Eliot or Hawthorno-are too apt to for
get that Coopers strongest compositions the
Leather Stocking Tales and the best of his
sea stories have success, Ally withstood two
rigorous criteria Of literary excellence. the test
OF polyglot translation and the test Of time.
Tried by these particular standards Cooper has
but little to fear from comparison with Walter
Scott and Dickens. with tho cider Dumas and
George Sand 1t is probable that to-day the
Pathfinder" and the Pilot" obtain ~ many
readers in IA many different countries ns
WaVerey" and "IvanhOe" as "Consuelo."
and even as Monte Cristo" and the Three
Guardsmen." 1t is indeed a truth familiar To
all extensive travellers that the most attractive
novels Of Cooper havo not only betn translated
into every European language but are pored
over and quoted in every corner OF the civilized
world by people who. perhaps, have not so
much MS heard tho name Of any other Amer-
can author. Admitting therefore. that his
books are novels OF adventure. not of charac-
ter, wo cannot but recognize in him eXtraor-
binary aptitude for his special vocation. and ac-
knowledge that few in the time honored guild
OF tale weavers are likely to be longer rcmcm-
bered. Keeping this fact steadily in view. let
us mark some Of tho more striking events in
Cooper's life. as they nre now for the first time
completely yet sympatheticaRy set forth by the
author Of this delightful biography.
Cooper's parents were OF humble origin and
much obscurity hangs over tho means by
which his father accumulated the fortune that
he brought to the settlement on OtseGo Lake in
which he purposed to figure among the landed
gentry. In view OF his sheer inability or irwin
chile reluctance to name his grandfather there
Is something amusing In Cooper's dwelling
with so much emphasis on tho importance OF
gentle birth and breeding. There is, however
nothing surprising or exceptional In this naive
revelation OF an amiable weakness. for we
might mention more recent American writer
who Is accustomed to pose "a an oracle OF
manners. yet VIII ose grandsire. wo believe. be-
gan life in the honest but modest vocation Of
peddler. But however hopeless would have
boon the attempt to establish for himself
claim to gentle descent, or to assert equality in
this respect with the old colonial families OF
which he wrote with 80 much reverence, it
Is certain that the novelist enjoyed from birth
perhaps as good opportunities Of education and
as much of tho refining influences of good
society ms were at the time attainable by his
American contemporaries. His early instruc-
tion. indeed. WAS obtained at the village school
in Coop"rstown. which. rs In the case OF many
village schools in our Northern States within