ty, we could find out all about it
from the latest English traveler, or the review of his work that had
appeared in the latest English periodicals. But by Cooper the life of
the wilderness and of the sea had been told as by no other writer. Over
the fields and forests and streams of his native land he had thrown the
glamour of romantic association and lofty deeds. There was something
unpleasant in witnessing a man who could do this turning his attention
to the discussion of points of etiquette and manners. Beside the waste
of power, which is something always disagreeable to contemplate, the
subject itself could hardly be called an attractive one. It was a sandy
desert to travel over at best. But even those who thought it a thing
worth while to do once, could hardly help feeling surprise at the spirit
which could induce a man to go over it again and again, enlarge upon its
discomforts, its perpetual sameness and barrenness, and point out its
incapacity of being made much better. There were even worse things than
this. It could scarcely fail to inspire a sentiment almost like disgust
to have the creator of Leather-Stocking argue with heat the (p. 169)
question whether it is right for a lady to come into a drawing-room at a
party without leaning upon the arm of a gentleman; or discourse solemnly
upon the proper way of eating eggs, and announce oracularly that all who
were acquainted with polite society would agree in denouncing the
wine-glass or egg-glass as a vulgar substitute for the egg-cup.
Questions like these are usually left to those who have the taste to
delight in them and the mental elevation to grasp the difficulties
involved in them. They were the more disagreeable when met with in
Cooper, because in addition to the pettiness of the subject, there was
an apparent unconsciousness on his part that the limits of his own
preferences and conclusions were not necessarily those of the human
mind.

Cooper indeed exemplified in his literary career a story he was in the
habit of telling of one of his early adventures. While in the navy he
was traveling in the wilderness bordering upon the Ontario. The party to
which he belonged came upon an inn where they were not expected. The
landlord was totally unprepared, and met them with a sorrowful
countenance. There was, he assured them, absolutely nothing in his house
that was fit to eat. When asked what he had that was not fit to eat, he
could only say in reply that he