"There is now no enemy to fear, but the one that resides within. By accustoming ourselves to regard even the people as erring beings, and by using the restraints that wisdom has adduced from experience, there is much reason to hope that the same Providence which has so well aided us in our infancy, may continue to smile on our manhood."
The Spy, James Fenimore Cooper
Captain Lawton sings a song honoring Elizabeth Flanagan.
"Now push the mug, my jolly boys,
And live, while live we can;
To-morrow's sun may end your joys,
For brief's the hour of man.
And he who bravely meets the foe
His lease of life can never know.
Old mother Flanagan
Come and fill the can again!
For you can fill, and we can swill,
Good Betty Flanagan.
If love of life pervades your breast,
Or love of ease your frame,
Quit honor's path for peaceful rest,
And bear a coward's name;
For soon and late, we danger know,
And fearless on the saddle go.
Old mother, etc.
When foreign foes invade the land,
And wives and sweethearts call,
In freedom's cause we'll bravely stand
Or will as bravely fall;
In this fair home the fates have given
We'll live as lords, or live in heaven.
Old mother, etc."
Chapter XVI, The Spy, James Fenimore Cooper
And though amidst the calm of thought entire,
Some high and haughty features might betray
A soul impetuous once—'twas earthly fire
That fled composure's intellectual ray,
As Etna's fires grow dim before the rising day.
Gertrude of Wyoming
Elizabeth Flanagan is a character found in James Fenimore Cooper the Spy. The story tells of a revolutionary era spy. Although not the only uncouth individual mentioned within the text she is the first female character with this attribute.
‘Elizabeth Flanagan, her hotel," an ebullition of the wit of some of the idle wags of the corps. The matron, whose name had thus been exalted to an office of such unexpected dignity, ordinarily discharged the duties of a female sutler, washerwoman, and, to use the language of Katy Haynes, petticoat doctor to the troops. She was the widow of a soldier who had been killed in the service, and who, like herself, was a native of a distant island, and had early tried his fortune in the colonies of North America. She constantly migrated with the troops; and it was seldom that they became stationary for two days at a time but the little cart of the bustling woman was seen driving into the encampment loaded with such articles as she conceived would make her presence most welcome. With a celerity that seemed almost supernatural, Betty took up her ground and commenced her occupation. Sometimes the cart itself was her shop; at others the soldiers made her a rude shelter of such materials as offered; but on the present occasion she had seized on a vacant building, and, by dint of stuffing the dirty breeches and half-dried linen of the troopers into the broken windows, to exclude the cold, which had now become severe, she formed what she herself had pronounced to be "most illigant lodgings." The men were quartered in the adjacent barns, and the officers collected in the "Hotel Flanagan," as they facetiously called headquarters. Betty was well known to every trooper in the corps, could call each by his Christian or nickname, as best suited her fancy; and, although absolutely intolerable to all whom habit had not made familiar with her virtues, was a general favorite with these partisan warriors. Her faults were, a trifling love of liquor, excessive filthiness, and a total disregard of all the decencies of language; her virtues, an unbounded love for her adopted country, perfect honesty when dealing on certain known principles with the soldiery, and great good nature. Added to these, Betty had the merit of being the inventor of that beverage which is so well known, at the present hour, to all the patriots who make a winter's march between the commercial and political capitals of this great state, and which is distinguished by the name of "cocktail." Elizabeth Flanagan was peculiarly well qualified, by education and circumstances, to perfect this improvement in liquors, having been literally brought up on its principal ingredient, and having acquired from her Virginian customers the use of mint, from its flavor in a julep to its height of renown in the article in question. Such, then, was the mistress of the mansion, who, reckless of the cold northern blasts, showed her blooming face from the door of the building to welcome the arrival of her favorite, Captain Lawton, and his companion, her master in matters of surgery.’
About a week ago I made a post on James Fenimore Cooper’s Leather Stocking series of novels that feature the protagonist, Natty Bumppo. I mentioned that I had read a few of the novels out of historical sequence.
After reading The Deerslayer, The First War Path I am glad for this unintentional breach. I am afraid if I had I started with The Deerslayer I may not have decided to continue to my readings in this series.
In the novels that following the Deerslayer, Natty Bumppo is circumspective, but laid back. Natty Bumppo was a character that I could live with; however in the Dearslayer I found the character of Natty Bumppo to patriarchal for his age. Natty Bumppo is young here, this is his first war path, but he seems to have wisdom beyond his years.
He is ready to return to the Huron’s camp to be to be tortured and you find him giving advice to all of his compatriots. This is the point where the character of Natty Bumppo takes a turn and no longer seems convincing.
The Leatherstocking Tales is a series of five novels written by James Fenimore Cooper. Each features the main hero of Natty Bumppo, which is known by European settlers as Leatherstocking, The Pathfinder, and the trapper. He is also known by Native Americans as "Deerslayer," "La Longue Carabine" and "Hawkeye".
It seems that I have read these novels out of sequence for I have read The Last of the Mohicans, The Pathfinder, The Inland Sea, and am just now reading “The Deerslayer, The First War Path”. The first three of Fenimore’s novels depict the French and Indian Wars era. The correct historic sequence of these novels is:
Story Dates |
Title |
1740-1755 |
The Deerslayer, The First War Path |
1757 |
The Last of the Mohicans, A Narrative of 1757 |
1750s |
The Pathfinder, The Inland Sea |
1793 |
The Pioneers, The Sources of the Susquehanna; A Descriptive Tale |
1804 |
The Prairie, A Tale |
All three novels that I have read include very spirited stories with encounters with antagonist Indians and, in some cases, an interesting view of the North American frontier. Natty Bumppo, the protagonist, having grown up with a tribe of Delaware Indians is companied by his Mohican "brother" Chingachgook or Big Serpent. These two protagonists either fight or outwit their enemies in these novels.
I just finished the “The Pathfinder, The Inland Sea” not too long ago and the story still pretty fresh in my mind, however I read the “The Last of the Mohicans” sometime ago. I am thinking on picking up The Last of the Mohicans again after I have finished reading “The Deerslayer”. After rereading the “Last of the Mohicans” I will pick-up the sequence again with “The Pioneers and The Prairie”.
