ThePathfinderandTheDeerslayerstandattheheadofCooper’snovelsasartisticcreations。Thereareothersofhisworkswhichcontainpartsasperfectasaretobefoundinthese，andscenesevenmorethrilling。Notonecanbecomparedwitheitherofthemasafinishedwhole。
Thedefectsinbothofthesetalesarecomparativelyslight。
Theywerepureworksofart。——Prof。Lounsbury。
Thefivetalesrevealanextraordinaryfulnessofinvention……Oneoftheverygreatestcharactersinfiction，NattyBumppo
Thecraftofthewoodsman，thetricksofthetrapper，allthedelicateartoftheforest，werefamiliartoCooperfromhisyouthup。——Prof。BranderMatthews。
CooperisthegreatestartistinthedomainofromanticfictionyetproducedbyAmerica。——WilkieCollins。
ItseemstomethatitwasfarfromrightfortheProfessorofEnglishLiteratureinYale，theProfessorofEnglishLiteratureinColumbia，andWilkieColliestodeliveropinionsonCooper’sliteraturewithouthavingreadsomeofit。ItwouldhavebeenmuchmoredecoroustokeepsilentandletpersonstalkwhohavereadCooper。
Cooper’sarthassomedefects。Inoneplacein’Deerslayer，’andintherestrictedspaceoftwo—thirdsofapage，Cooperhasscored114offencesagainstliteraryartoutofapossible115。Itbreakstherecord。
Therearenineteenrulesgoverningliteraryartinthedomainofromanticfiction——somesaytwenty—two。InDeerslayerCooperviolatedeighteenofthem。Theseeighteenrequire:
1。Thatataleshallaccomplishsomethingandarrivesomewhere。ButtheDeerslayertaleaccomplishesnothingandarrivesintheair。
2。Theyrequirethattheepisodesofataleshallbenecessarypartsofthetale，andshallhelptodevelopit。ButastheDeerslayertaleisnotatale，andaccomplishesnothingandarrivesnowhere，theepisodeshavenorightfulplaceinthework，sincetherewasnothingforthemtodevelop。
3。Theyrequirethatthepersonagesinataleshallbealive，exceptinthecaseofcorpses，andthatalwaysthereadershallbeabletotellthecorpsesfromtheothers。ButthisdetailhasoftenbeenoverlookedintheDeerslayertale。
4。Theyrequirethatthepersonagesinatale，bothdeadandalive，shallexhibitasufficientexcuseforbeingthere。ButthisdetailalsohasbeenoverlookedintheDeerslayertale。
5。Theyrequirethatwhenthepersonagesofataledealinconversation，thetalkshallsoundlikehumantalk，andbetalksuchashumanbeingswouldbelikelytotalkinthegivencircumstances，andhaveadiscoverablemeaning，alsoadiscoverablepurpose，andashowofrelevancy，andremainintheneighborhoodofthesubjectinhand，andbeinterestingtothereader，andhelpoutthetale，andstopwhenthepeoplecannotthinkofanythingmoretosay。ButthisrequirementhasbeenignoredfromthebeginningoftheDeerslayertaletotheendofit。
6。Theyrequirethatwhentheauthordescribesthecharacterofapersonageinhistale，theconductandconversationofthatpersonageshalljustifysaiddescription。ButthislawgetslittleornoattentionintheDeerslayertale，asNattyBumppo’scasewillamplyprove。
7。Theyrequirethatwhenapersonagetalkslikeanillustrated，gilt—
edged，tree—calf，hand—tooled，seven—dollarFriendship’sOfferinginthebeginningofaparagraph，heshallnottalklikeanegrominstrelintheendofit。ButthisruleisflungdownanddanceduponintheDeerslayertale。
8。Theyrequirethatcrassstupiditiesshallnotbeplayeduponthereaderas"thecraftofthewoodsman，thedelicateartoftheforest，"byeithertheauthororthepeopleinthetale。ButthisruleispersistentlyviolatedintheDeerslayertale。
9。Theyrequirethatthepersonagesofataleshallconfinethemselvestopossibilitiesandletmiraclesalone;or，iftheyventureamiracle，theauthormustsoplausiblysetitforthastomakeitlookpossibleandreasonable。ButtheserulesarenotrespectedintheDeerslayertale。
10。Theyrequirethattheauthorshallmakethereaderfeeladeepinterestinthepersonagesofhistaleandintheirfate;andthatheshallmakethereaderlovethegoodpeopleinthetaleandhatethebadones。ButthereaderoftheDeerslayertaledislikesthegoodpeopleinit，isindifferenttotheothers，andwishestheywouldallgetdrownedtogether。
11。Theyrequirethatthecharactersinataleshallbesoclearlydefinedthatthereadercantellbeforehandwhateachwilldoinagivenemergency。ButintheDeerslayertalethisruleisvacated。
Inadditiontotheselargerulestherearesomelittleones。Theserequirethattheauthorshall:
12。Saywhatheisproposingtosay，notmerelycomenearit。
13。Usetherightword，notitssecondcousin。
14。Eschewsurplusage。
15。Notomitnecessarydetails。
16。Avoidslovenlinessofform。
17。Usegoodgrammar。
18。Employasimpleandstraightforwardstyle。
EventhesesevenarecoldlyandpersistentlyviolatedintheDeerslayertale。
Cooper’sgiftinthewayofinventionwasnotarichendowment;butsuchasitwashelikedtoworkit，hewaspleasedwiththeeffects，andindeedhedidsomequitesweetthingswithit。Inhislittleboxofstagepropertieshekeptsixoreightcunningdevices，tricks，artificesforhissavagesandwoodsmentodeceiveandcircumventeachotherwith，andhewasneversohappyaswhenhewasworkingtheseinnocentthingsandseeingthemgo。Afavoriteonewastomakeamoccasinedpersontreadinthetracksofthemoccasinedenemy，andthushidehisowntrail。
Cooperworeoutbarrelsandbarrelsofmoccasinsinworkingthattrick。
Anotherstage—propertythathepulledoutofhisboxprettyfrequentlywashisbrokentwig。Heprizedhisbrokentwigabovealltherestofhiseffects，andworkeditthehardest。Itisarestfulchapterinanybookofhiswhensomebodydoesn’tsteponadrytwigandalarmalltheredsandwhitesfortwohundredyardsaround。EverytimeaCooperpersonisinperil，andabsolutesilenceisworthfourdollarsaminute，heissuretosteponadrytwig。Theremaybeahundredhandierthingstostepon，butthatwouldn’tsatisfyCooper。Cooperrequireshimtoturnoutandfindadrytwig;andifhecan’tdoit，goandborrowone。Infact，theLeatherStockingSeriesoughttohavebeencalledtheBrokenTwigSeries。
Iamsorrythereisnotroomtoputinafewdozeninstancesofthedelicateartoftheforest，aspractisedbyNattyBumppoandsomeoftheotherCooperianexperts。Perhapswemayventuretwoorthreesamples。
Cooperwasasailor——anavalofficer;yethegravelytellsushowavessel，drivingtowardsaleeshoreinagale，issteeredforaparticularspotbyherskipperbecauseheknowsofanundertowtherewhichwillholdherbackagainstthegaleandsaveher。Forjustpurewoodcraft，orsailorcraft，orwhateveritis，isn’tthatneat？ForseveralyearsCooperwasdailyinthesocietyofartillery，andheoughttohavenoticedthatwhenacannon—ballstrikesthegrounditeitherburiesitselforskipsahundredfeetorso;skipsagainahundredfeetorso——andsoon，tillfinallyitgetstiredandrolls。Nowinoneplacehelosessome"females"——ashealwayscallswomen——intheedgeofawoodnearaplainatnightinafog，onpurposetogiveBumppoachancetoshowoffthedelicateartoftheforestbeforethereader。Thesemislaidpeoplearehuntingforafort。Theyhearacannonblast，andacannon—
ballpresentlycomesrollingintothewoodandstopsattheirfeet。Tothefemalesthissuggestsnothing。ThecaseisverydifferentwiththeadmirableBumppo。IwishImayneverknowpeaceagainifhedoesn’tstrikeoutpromptlyandfollowthetrackofthatcannon—ballacrosstheplainthroughthedensefogandfindthefort。Isn’titadaisy？IfCooperhadanyrealknowledgeofNature’swaysofdoingthings，hehadamostdelicateartinconcealingthefact。Forinstance:oneofhisacuteIndianexperts，Chingachgook（pronouncedChicago，Ithink），haslostthetrailofapersonheistrackingthroughtheforest。Apparentlythattrailishopelesslylost。NeitheryounorIcouldeverhaveguessedoutthewaytofindit。ItwasverydifferentwithChicago。Chicagowasnotstumpedforlong。Heturnedarunningstreamoutofitscourse，andthere，intheslushinitsoldbed，werethatperson’smoccasin—tracks。
Thecurrentdidnotwashthemaway，asitwouldhavedoneinallotherlikecases——no，eventheeternallawsofNaturehavetovacatewhenCooperwantstoputupadelicatejobofwoodcraftonthereader。
WemustbealittlewarywhenBranderMatthewstellsusthatCooper’sbooks"revealanextraordinaryfulnessofinvention。"Asarule，IamquitewillingtoacceptBranderMatthews’sliteraryjudgmentsandapplaudhislucidandgracefulphrasingofthem;butthatparticularstatementneedstobetakenwithafewtonsofsalt。Blessyourheart，Cooperhadn’tanymoreinventionthanahorse;andIdon’tmeanahigh—classhorse，either;Imeanaclothes—horse。Itwouldbeverydifficulttofindareallyclever"situation"inCooper’sbooks，andstillmoredifficulttofindoneofanykindwhichhehasfailedtorenderabsurdbyhishandlingofit。Lookattheepisodesof"thecaves";andatthecelebratedscufflebetweenMaquaandthoseothersonthetable—landafewdayslater;andatHurryHarry’squeerwater—transitfromthecastletotheark;andatDeerslayer’shalf—hourwithhisfirstcorpse;andatthequarrelbetweenHurryHarryandDeerslayerlater;andat——butchooseforyourself;youcan’tgoamiss。
IfCooperhadbeenanobserverhisinventivefacultywouldhaveworkedbetter;notmoreinterestingly，butmorerationally，moreplausibly。
Cooper’sproudestcreationsinthewayof"situations"suffernoticeablyfromtheabsenceoftheobserver’sprotectinggift。Cooper’seyewassplendidlyinaccurate。Cooperseldomsawanythingcorrectly。Hesawnearlyallthingsasthroughaglasseye，darkly。Ofcourseamanwhocannotseethecommonestlittleevery—daymattersaccuratelyisworkingatadisadvantagewhenheisconstructinga"situation。"IntheDeerslayertaleCooperhasastreamwhichisfiftyfeetwidewhereitflowsoutofalake;itpresentlynarrowstotwentyasitmeandersalongfornogivenreason;andyetwhenastreamactslikethatitoughttoberequiredtoexplainitself。Fourteenpageslaterthewidthofthebrook’soutletfromthelakehassuddenlyshrunkthirtyfeet，andbecome"thenarrowestpartofthestream。"Thisshrinkageisnotaccountedfor。
Thestreamhasbendsinit，asureindicationthatithasalluvialbanksandcutsthem;yetthesebendsareonlythirtyandfiftyfeetlong。IfCooperhadbeenaniceandpunctiliousobserverhewouldhavenoticedthatthebendswereoftenerninehundredfeetlongthanshortofit。
Coopermadetheexitofthatstreamfiftyfeetwide，inthefirstplace，fornoparticularreason;inthesecondplace，henarrowedittolessthantwentytoaccommodatesomeIndians。Hebendsa"sapling"totheformofanarchoverthisnarrowpassage，andconcealssixIndiansinitsfoliage。Theyare"laying"forasettler’sscoworarkwhichiscomingupthestreamonitswaytothelake;itisbeinghauledagainstthestiffcurrentbyaropewhosestationaryendisanchoredinthelake;itsrateofprogresscannotbemorethanamileanhour。Cooperdescribestheark，butprettyobscurely。Inthematterofdimensions"itwaslittlemorethanamoderncanal—boat。"Letusguess，then，thatitwasaboutonehundredandfortyfeetlong。Itwasof"greaterbreadththancommon。"Letusguess，then，thatitwasaboutsixteenfeetwide。Thisleviathanhadbeenprowlingdownbendswhichwerebutathirdaslongasitself，andscrapingbetweenbankswhereithadonlytwofeetofspacetospareoneachside。Wecannottoomuchadmirethismiracle。Alow—
roofedlogdwellingoccupies"two—thirdsoftheark’slength"——adwellingninetyfeetlongandsixteenfeetwide，letussayakindofvestibuletrain。Thedwellinghastworooms——eachforty—fivefeetlongandsixteenfeetwide，letusguess。OneofthemisthebedroomoftheHuttergirls，JudithandHetty;theotheristheparlorinthedaytime，atnightitispapa’sbedchamber。Thearkisarrivingatthestream’sexitnow，whosewidthhasbeenreducedtolessthantwentyfeettoaccommodatetheIndians——saytoeighteen。Thereisafoottospareoneachsideoftheboat。DidtheIndiansnoticethattherewasgoingtobeatightsqueezethere？Didtheynoticethattheycouldmakemoneybyclimbingdownoutofthatarchedsaplingandjuststeppingaboardwhenthearkscrapedby？
No，otherIndianswouldhavenoticedthesethings，butCooper’sIndiansnevernoticeanything。Cooperthinkstheyaremarvelouscreaturesfornoticing，buthewasalmostalwaysinerrorabouthisIndians。Therewasseldomasaneoneamongthem。
Thearkisonehundredandfortyfeetlong;thedwellingisninetyfeetlong。TheideaoftheIndiansistodropsoftlyandsecretlyfromthearchedsaplingtothedwellingasthearkcreepsalongunderitattherateofamileanhour，andbutcherthefamily。Itwilltakethearkaminuteandahalftopassunder。Itwilltaketheninetyfootdwellingaminutetopassunder。Now，then，whatdidthesixIndiansdo？Itwouldtakeyouthirtyyearstoguess，andeventhenyouwouldhavetogiveitup，Ibelieve。Therefore，IwilltellyouwhattheIndiansdid。Theirchief，apersonofquiteextraordinaryintellectforaCooperIndian，warilywatchedthecanal—boatasitsqueezedalongunderhim，andwhenhehadgothiscalculationsfineddowntoexactlytherightshade，ashejudged，heletgoanddropped。Andmissedthehouse！Thatisactuallywhathedid。Hemissedthehouse，andlandedinthesternofthescow。
Itwasnotmuchofafall，yetitknockedhimsilly。Helaythereunconscious。Ifthehousehadbeenninety—sevenfeetlonghewouldhavemadethetrip。ThefaultwasCooper’s，nothis。Theerrorlayintheconstructionofthehouse。Cooperwasnoarchitect。
TherestillremainedintheroostfiveIndians。
Theboathaspassedunderandisnowoutoftheirreach。Letmeexplainwhatthefivedid——youwouldnotbeabletoreasonitoutforyourself。
No。1jumpedfortheboat，butfellinthewaterasternofit。ThenNo。
2jumpedfortheboat，butfellinthewaterstillfartherasternofit。