Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume V.djvu/312

308 COOPER was founded on incidents of the revolution, in- troduced some historical characters, and was written with so much power and originality that it gained a remarkable popularity at once, not only in this country but in Europe, being translated into almost all the continental lan- guages. It was followed two years later by " The Pioneers," in which are introduced many exciting incidents of frontier life and glowing descriptions of forest scenery. It is the first in order of publication of the famous "Leath- erstocking series." "The Pilot," the first of his romances of sea life, appeared also hi 1823, being prompted, it is said, by the inaccuracies in the nautical incidents and descriptions of Scott's "Pirate," which had been recently published. This outstripped even " The Spy" in the popular enthusiasm which it excited. "Lionel Lincoln," another story of the revolu- tion, which was comparatively unsuccessful, was published in 1825, followed the next year by "The Last of the Mohicans," in which Cooper continued his fascinating delineations of In- dian character and of adventure among the pio- neers in the American wilderness. In 1827 he went to Europe, where he remained six years, residing successively in the principal cities and continuing his literary labor. During his first year abroad he published " The Eed Rover," the second of his sea stories, and " The Prairie," an- other of the Leatherstocking tales. To correct the numerous false impressions regarding Amer- ican characteristics which he found prevailing in England, he published in 1828 " Notions of the Americans, by a Travelling Bachelor," pur- porting to be a book of travel in the United States. The next year appeared " The Wept of the Wish-ton- Wish," and in 1830 "The Water Witch." He was in Paris at the break- ing out of the revolution of 1830, and took great interest in the changes then going on. Soon after this he .replied to an article in the Revue Britannique severely criticising the gov- ernment of the United States, and -became in- volved in a controversy in which he wrote a series of letters in the National newspaper, defending his country against numerous slan- ders and misrepresentations. During the same period he wrote "The Bravo" (1831), a novel the scene of which is laid in Venice, and which the author considered his masterpiece. This and his two next works, " The Heidenmauer " (1832) and "The Headsman of Berne" (1833), were intended in part to illustrate his political views, which had been developed in the newspaper controversy in Paris. These discussions were read with interest at home and excited much criticism, not all of which was favorable to the novelist. On his return in 1833 he published "A Letter to my Countrymen," in which he gave an account of the controversy, and com- plained of the censures which had been passed upon it in this country, and of the general deference paid to foreign opinion. This was followed in 1835 by " The Monikins " and " The American Democrat," in which he satirized the failings of his own countrymen, and gave occasion to fierce assaults upon himself in the newspapers. These were multiplied and inten- sified by his " Homeward Bound " and " rfome as Found" (1838), in which the newspaper editor was caricatured, and the satire upon American peculiarities continued. The stric- tures of the press were not confined to severe criticism upon the author, but in some cases degenerated into personal abuse, which led him to commence a remarkable series of libel suits. These involved a great expenditure of time and money, but served to fix more clearly than before the responsibility of journals in matters of libel. He says in one of his letters, "I have beaten every man I have sued who has not retracted his libels." During this strife with the newspapers he continued his literary work. He had already published the results of his observations in Europe in the " Sketches of Switzerland " (1836) and " Gleanings in Eu- rope," "France," and "Italy" (1837-'8). In 1839 appeared his "Naval History of the United States," which served to increase the attacks already mentioned. Cooper now re- turned to the field of fiction, and sent forth in rapid succession "The Pathfinder " and "Mer- cedes of Castile" (1840), "The Deerslayer" (1841), "The Two Admirals" and "Wing and Wing" (1842), "Wyandotte, or the Hutted Knoll," the " Autobiography of a Pockethand- kerchief," and "Ned Myers "- (1843), and "Afloat and Ashore" and "Miles Walling-, ford" (1844). In 1844 he also published a "Review of the Mackenzie Case," in which he severely censured the course of the commander of the Somers. The same year he became in- terested in the anti-rent controversy, and be- gan the series of " Littlepage " tales for the purpose of denouncing the anti-rent doctrines, which he regarded as dangerous to society. These consisted of "Satanstoe" and "The Chainbearer" (1845), and "The Redskins" (1846). Maintaining as they did the unpopular side of the question, the real merits of these works were in a measure overlooked. In 1 846 he also published " Lives of Distinguished Ameri- can Naval Officers," forming a fitting compan- ion to the " Naval History." In 1847 appeared " The Crater, or Vulcan's Peak," a romance introducing supernatural characters and inci- dents, the scene of which was on a reef in the Pacific ocean, and in 1848 "Oak Openings, or the Bee Hunter, " a story of woodland life. The last of the series of stories of the sea were "Jack Tier, or the Florida Reefs" (1848), and "The Sea Lions, or the Lost Sealers" (1849). The last of all his novels was " The Ways of the Hour," intended to expose the defects of trial by jury (1850). He had in press at the time of his death a historical work, " The Towns of Manhattan," and was contemplating a sixth Leatherstocking tale. He died somewhat sud- denly of dropsy. His later novels did not gain the popularity accorded to some of the earlier ones. The entire series of his novels has been