The Water-Witch

The Water-Witch was first published in America in 1830. If less brilliant than The Red Rover the spirit and interests pervading The Water-Witch are very striking; there is an atmosphere of romance infused into the narrative singularly different from the sober coloring of Puritan life in its predecessor, Wish-ton-Wish. It is strikingly picturesque. But on the other hand there is less of high moral tone than was usual with Cooper; it carries a carnival aspect about it; the shell is gay and brilliant, but the kernel is less nourishing than usual.