heated,
of the many controversies in which he was engaged was in regard to the
conduct on a particular occasion of General Oliver DeLancey, a cousin
of his wife's father. This officer was charged unjustly, as Cooper
believed, with the brutal treatment of the American General Woodhull,
who had fallen into his hands. The discussion in regard to this point
was carried on in the "New York Home Journal" in the early part of
1848.

It seldom falls to the lot of the biographer to record a home life
more serene and happy than that which fell to the share of the man
whose literary life is the stormiest to be found in the history of
American men of letters. Cooper, like many persons of fiery temperament
and strong will, was very easily managed through his affections. In
theory he maintained the headship of man in the household in the
extremest form. He gives in several of his works no uncertain
indication of his views on that point. This only serves to make more
conspicuous the fact, which forces itself repeatedly upon the
attention, that his movements were largely, if not mainly, (p. 014)
by his wife. This becomes noticeable at the very beginning of their
union. She was unwilling to undergo the long and frequent separations
from her husband that the profession of a naval officer would demand.
Accordingly, he abandoned the idea of continuing in it. The acceptance
of his resignation bears date the 6th of May, 1811. He had then been
regularly in the service a little less than three years and a half.

After quitting the navy Cooper led for a long time a somewhat unsettled
life. For about a year and a half he resided at Heathcote Hall,
Mamaroneck, the residence of his wife's father. He then rented a small
cottage in the neighborhood, and in this remained about a year. His
early home, however, was the spot to which his heart turned. To
Cooperstown, in consequence, he went back in 1814, taking up his
residence at a place outside the village limits, called Fenimore. He
purposed to devote his attention to agriculture, and accordingly began
at this spot the building of a large stone farm house. While it was in
process of construction his wife, anxious to be near her own family,
persuaded him to go back to Westchester. Thither in 1817 he went,
leaving his dwelling at Fenimore unfinished, and in 1823 it was
completely destroyed by fire. In Westchester, a few months after his
return, he took up his residence, in the town of Scarsd