it was couched. He thanked the proposers
warmly, but he declined it. The refusal was perhaps unavoidable. If so,
it was unfortunate; if not, it was a mistake. Had the dinner taken
place, it would have shown him the estimation in which he was really
held, and would have modified or destroyed any prejudices entertained
towards him by others, if any such existed.

Up to this period in his public career, Cooper had certainly not done
anything to undermine his popularity. He now entered upon a line of
conduct which it is charity to call blundering. He began, or at any rate
pursued, a controversy, in which nothing was to be gained and everything
to be risked, if not actually lost. He not only set himself to defend a
course that needed no defense, he replied to attacks, real or imaginary,
which could only be raised into importance by receiving from him notice.
These attacks were a criticism on "The Bravo" which had appeared in the
"New York American;" a criticism on his later writings which was found
in the columns of the "New York Commercial Advertiser;" and an (p. 129)
editorial article in the "New York Courier and Enquirer." He could not
have done a more foolish thing. He knew perfectly well that no writer
could be written down save by himself. He has quoted the very remark.
But a hundred similar sayings, condensing in a line the wisdom of ages,
could never have kept him quiet when an attack was made upon himself. A
popular writer has always immense odds in his favor in any controversy
he may have with inferior men. He is ordinarily sure of the verdict of
posterity, for his is likely to be the only side that will reach its
ears. Even during his own time there will always be a large body of
admirers who will defend him with more fervor, and advocate his cause
with more effect than he has it in his own power to do. But it can and
will be done only in the case that he does little or nothing himself. If
Cooper had lost any ground in the estimation of the public, all he had
to do, in order to regain it, was to remain quiet. The one thing that
Cooper could not do was to remain quiet. He determined to set himself
right before his countrymen. He speedily had full opportunity to
ascertain the results that are pretty sure to follow experiments of this
kind.

In June, 1834, appeared Cooper's "Letter to His Countrymen." Its
publication was no sudden freak, for the year before he had announced
the preparation of it. The work is a t