Tales for Fifteen; Or, Imagination and Heart

by James Fenimore Cooper

James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851) was a prolific and popular American writer of the early 19th century. He is particularly remembered as a novelist, who wrote numerous sea-stories as well as the historical romances known as the Leatherstocking Tales, featuring frontiersman Natty Bumppo. Among his most famous works is the Romantic novel The Last of the Mohicans, which many people consider his masterpiece. Other works include Precaution (1820), The Spy (1821), The Pioneers (1823), The Red Rover (1828), The Wept of Wish-ton-Wish (1829), The Notions of a Traveling Bachelor (1828), The Waterwitch (1830), The Bravo (1831), The Monikins (1835), The American Democrat (1835), Homeward Bound (1839), Home as Found (1838), A History of the Navy of the United States (1839), The Pathfinder (1840), Mercedes of Castile (1840), The Deerslayer (1841), Ned Myers (1843) and The Ways of the Hour (1850).

124 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1823

About the author

James Fenimore Cooper was a popular and prolific American writer. He is best known for his historical novel The Last of the Mohicans, one of the Leatherstocking Tales stories, and he also wrote political fiction, maritime fiction, travelogues, and essays on the American politics of the time. His daughter Susan Fenimore Cooper was also a writer.

Series:
* The Leatherstocking Tales
* The Littlepage Manuscripts
* Afloat and Ashore
* Homeward Bound

Reviews

[MihaElla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Preface (to the book)
When the author of these little tales commenced them, it was her intention to form a short series of such stories as, it was hoped, might not be entirely without moral advantage; but unforeseen circumstances have prevented their completion, and, unwilling to delay the publication any longer, she commits them to the world in their present unfinished state, without any flattering anticipations of their reception. They are intended for the perusal of young women, at that tender age when the feelings of their nature begin to act on them most insidiously, and when their minds are least prepared by reason and experience to contend with their passions.
"Heart" was intended for a much longer tale, and is unavoidably incomplete; but it is unnecessary to point out defects that even the juvenile reader will soon detect. The author only hopes that if they do no good, her tales will, at least, do no harm."

I say, hooray! this tiny book is good for me. I am in awe of its content. When I stumbled upon it I was of course caught by the title. Tales for Fifteen. Certainly! I realized that I not only have that age (still, or most of the time) but also can, in certain aspects and limits, be a representative of the main characters talked about in these tales. So, I had done some search on its apparition and publication at that time, and it triggered more interest that these two stories were considered not of high value or interest (even more, Fenimore published them under a woman’s name!). To me these two short stories are very valuable and found them very enjoyable.

‘Imagination’ was a mix between laughter and seriousness. It is a fact that sometimes our imagination gets excited and keeps our brain filled with images more lovely that the original, in the sense of reality check ;) That is most dangerous especially during youth, then we deal with heated extravagantly coloured imagination, sustained mostly by our sudden emotions flamed by the ardour of youth. SO, I loved Julia and her determination to always explain her doings and workings into her own ‘imagination’. She had a gut feeling that working with imagination can prove or lead to miracles, if you use it in the right manner, but she, being of too young age (barely 17), was not ready to employ it as per theory, thus there is no wonder to read about her thoughtful insight as contained in the last paragraph of the story:

[…]… she could summon resolution to own that she had once been in love, like thousands of her sex, "with a man of straw!”

I was in love once with a straw man, too. Sadly, there was no resemblance with Scarecrow from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, that I had myself watched in a lovely theatre show performance in my primary school. I liked the role of Scarecrow quite a lot, ultimately he showed he had brains and was of great support to his fellow-travellers.

‘Heart’ was a mix of all the things, less of laughter, though I could smile a bit here and there, but only skin deep. It is a powerful, beautiful, heartbreaking story and I think Charlotte is one of women that could indeed lead by example. She has but one heart, but full of purity, sincerity and truth, and tries to continue and enjoy her life despite the immeasurable loss that she suffered in her youth, in the sense that since then she gave her heart to someone who is dead (well, actually this is the end of the story, so till that very sorry moment we get to know her pretty well). I was very much impressed with the freshness of her beauty, her innocent gaiety, her strength to sensibly check her moments of grief remembrance. Yes, certainly, she is valued by me, it is for her heart that I most love her, and I remain with an indefinable look of delight mingled with sorrow.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah, I get why this one's been almost entirely forgotten.

"Imagination" is fine enough, but you can see the ending coming a mile away.

"Heart" is more interesting, because of the excellent character of Charlotte. I agree with Cooper that she is amazing, and worthy of emulation. Where it breaks down for me is the ending. Spoilers - there's a fundamentally good man she's in love with, and wants to marry, but he suddenly takes ill, and dies. Charlotte ends up never marrying anyone. Well, Cooper, is that really necessary? Why can't Charlotte find another fundamentally good man? The seeming message is that if you ever deeply love a person, there will never ever be anyone else. Really?

[Ben Dutton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fenimore Cooper started his career on a wager. Stating he could write a novel better than Austen he turned out Precaution. Though a moderate success in its day, it has aged badly. His success with that novel saw the request for more in the style, and so he began a story, but his heart wasn't in it and so he rushed the ending. When a magazine offered cash for it another story he quickly wrote another, again with disinterest. Today those two stories are little known, and as poor and misjudged as Precaution. That is not to say they are entirely without interest: there are a few good lines, and it's fun to spot the moments Fenimore Cooper attempts to resist the urge to turn the stories into something more like The Pioneers and The Pilot, on which he was working contemporaneously to these. One for the completist only.