Preface.

by James Fenimore Cooper

　　It ought to be matter of surprise how men live in the midst ofmarvels, without taking heed of their existence. The slightestderangement of their accustomed walks in political or social lifeshall excite all their wonder, and furnish themes for theirdiscussions, for months; while the prodigies that come from aboveare presented daily to their eyes, and are received withoutsurprise, as things of course. In a certain sense, this may be wellenough, inasmuch as all which comes directly from the hands of theCreator may be said so far to exceed the power of humancomprehension, as to be beyond comment; but the truth would show usthat the cause of this neglect is rather a propensity to dwell onsuch interests as those over which we have a fancied control, thanon those which confessedly transcend our understanding. Thus is itever with men. The wonders of creation meet them at every turn,without awakening reflection, while their minds labor on subjectsthat are not only ephemeral and illusory, but which never attain anelevation higher than that the most sordid interests can bestow.

　　For ourselves, we firmly believe that the finger of Providence ispointing the way to all races, and colors, and nations, along thepath that is to lead the east and the west alike to the great goalof human wants. Demons infest that path, and numerous and unhappyare the wanderings of millions who stray from its course; sometimesin reluctance to proceed; sometimes in an indiscreet haste to movefaster than their fellows, and always in a forgetfulness of thegreat rules of conduct that have been handed down from above.Nevertheless, the main course is onward; and the day, in the senseof time, is not distant, when the whole earth is to be filled withthe knowledge of the Lord, "as the waters cover the sea."

　　One of the great stumbling-blocks with a large class of well-meaning, but narrow-judging moralists, are the seeming wrongs thatare permitted by Providence, in its control of human events. Suchpersons take a one-sided view of things, and reduce all principlesto the level of their own understandings. If we could comprehend therelations which the Deity bears to us, as well as we can comprehendthe relations we bear to him, there might be a little seeming reasonin these doubts; but when one of the parties in this mighty schemeof action is a profound mystery to the other, it is worse than idle,it is profane, to attempt to explain those things which our mindsare not yet sufficiently cleared from the dross of earth tounderstand. Look at Italy, at this very moment. The darkness anddepression from which that glorious peninsula is about to emerge arethe fruits of long-continued dissensions and an iron despotism,which is at length broken by the impulses left behind him by aruthless conqueror, who, under the appearance and the phrases ofLiberty, contended only for himself. A more concentrated egotismthan that of Napoleon probably never existed; yet has it left behindit seeds of personal rights that have sprung up by the wayside, andwhich are likely to take root with a force that will bid defiance toeradication. Thus is it ever, with the progress of society. Goodappears to arise out of evil, and the inscrutable ways of Providenceare vindicated by general results, rather than by instances ofparticular care. We leave the application of these remarks to theintelligence of such of our readers as may have patience to perusethe work that will be found in the succeeding pages.

　　We have a few words of explanation to say, in connection with themachinery of our tale. In the first place, we would remark, that thespelling of "burr-oak," as given in this book, is less our own thanan office spelling. We think it should be "bur-oak," and this forthe simple reason, that the name is derived from the fact that theacorn borne by this tree is partially covered with a bur. Old SamJohnson, however, says that "burr" means the lobe, or lap of theear; and those who can fancy such a resemblance between this and thecovering of our acorn, are at liberty to use the two finalconsonants. Having commenced stereotyping with this supernumerary,for the sake of uniformity that mode of spelling, wrong as we thinkit, has been continued through-out the book.

　　There is nothing imaginary in the fertility of the West. Personalobservation has satisfied us that it much surpasses anything thatexists in the Atlantic States, unless in exceptions, through theagency of great care and high manuring, or in instances of peculiarnatural soil. In these times, men almost fly. We have passed over athousand miles of territory within the last few days, and havebrought the pictures at the two extremes of this journey in closeproximity in our mind's eye. Time may lessen that wonderfulfertility, and bring the whole country more on a level; but there itnow is, a glorious gift from God, which it is devoutly to be wishedmay be accepted with due gratitude and with a constant recollectionof his unwavering rules of right and wrong, by those who have beenselected to enjoy it.

　　June, 1848.