some time since the manager of the New-York theatre, received
the intelligence from a friend in England: "Prepare yourself for
astonishment," said his correspondent, "that identical Mr. Cooper who,
a few months ago, was playing the very underling characters at our
theatre, and who appeared so extremely incompetent, is now performing
Hamlet with applause in London." Sometime after this the agent of the
Philadelphia manager in England made proposals to Mr. Cooper, who
exulting in the thoughts of obtaining in America that rank which he was
refused in London, closed with the offer, and soon after passed over to
America. In Philadelphia, however, he found that his object was not
altogether so attainable as he imagined. In no place does favouritism
flourish with much more rank luxuriance than in that city--in no place
do personal prepossessions more frequently operate to the overthrow of
judgment, to the exclusion of merit, and to the fostering of incapacity.
The multitude had their favourites whose merit touched the highest
standard of their conceptions--any thing beyond that was hid in an
intellectual mist. The taste of the many was formed upon the kind of
merit which they so much admired in their favourites, and little did it
relish that of Mr. Cooper. It is astonishing how constantly fond
overweening prejudice deceives itself. The philosopher who told the
powerful despot, his sovereign, that there was no royal way to
mathematics, was believed, because the despot had common sense--but a
headstrong multitude can never be persuaded that a person can be
incompetent to any one thing, if they only _will_ him to be great in it:
and thus it has happened not infrequently, in all cities as well as
Philadelphia, that splendid talents have stood behind as lackeys, while
doleful incapacity has feasted upon public favour.

The abilities of Mr. Cooper gave great uneasiness, for they every day
forced a passage for themselves to some share of approbation, in the
very teeth of favouritism and prejudice. Some there were who could
discern no merit at all in him; some who industriously employed
themselves in depreciating and denying the little which others allowed
him. At last his vigorous struggles made it necessary to call in a
_corps de reserve_ which he little suspected; his private life was
impeached, and the careless, irregular habits of youth--habits, by the
by, in which no youth indulge more than our own, were arrayed against
him. Un