TIIR MONIK1NS.

THE probable purpose of Mr. COOPER in this new tale, might be to present the world with a profound satire on the prevailing vice of the English and American mind, as it displays itself in a rest- less desire for things innnoilerata, incredibilia, nimis (ilia, and on that false philanthropy which neglects the domestic awl friendly ties under the pretence of being imbued with national and uni- versal benevolenee. He also appears, and much more clearly, to have aimed at writing a skit upon the public principles and prac- tices of England and America, especially as exhibited in science, politics, and manners. All this, however, is more of a conjecture than a judgment. It will, therefore, be a safer and a better course short!y to describe the framework of the Monikins, and leave the reader to determine for himself.

Mr. Goldencalf, afterwards Sir John Goldencalf, and finally Viscount Householder, is the son of' a foundling, found by an orangewoman in the streets of St. Giles, and brought up and apprenticed by the parish to a dealer in fancy articles. In time he becomes his master's head shopman ; is left the business and executor to boot; and marries the defunct's daughter, to whom he was appointed guardian. During his apprenticeship, young G old- encalf was indignant on the subjects of taxation and the wrongs of America, and often shouted " IVilks and Liberty" in the public streets : but, from the time he began to earn something fur him- self, and lay by his earnings, he was never heard to shout any more. As he advanced in life and in wealth, his opinions grew gradually more sober, until, when master of hundreds of thou- sands, he became an admirer of judicious taxation, an advocate of a strong government and of the protect:on of property, and took a very different view of the masses to what he did when he was one of the mass—a view which many might consider harsh and selfish, but which he denominated expansive. Death, how- ever, is a dun whom there- is no putting off—he had taken the wife ; and, in despite of the millions which John Goldencalf, foundling and esquire, bad accumulated, and acquired upon the Stock Exchange, he called upon the millionaire himself. His son, the eventual Viscount, is left sole possessor of the property. His first step is to buy a borough, and become a Member; on the strength of which, and with the additional re- commendation of returning a Cabinet Minister for the spare scat, he is made a baronet. After his mother's death, he bad been, at her particular desire, educated in the family of Dr. Etherington; and, of course, falls in love with his daughter : the affection is reciprocal ; and his new title and enormous wealth will, he thinks, be sufficient to overcome the rather aristocratical prejudices of the worthy divine, and common sense at least would have induced

hint to make the trial. But no ; the remembrance of his father's isolated life and solitary deathbed determine him not to limit his

affections to one person, but to expand them over many. He buys negroes and plantations, boroughs and estates ; embarks in manu- factures, and in many other things; until, at Paris, he meets with

an American sealer, Noah Poke, and purchases four monkies, in whom he discovers the faculty of speech. With the philosopher of the party, Dr. Reason°, he has many discussions ; but the

upshot is, that Sir John Goldencalf charters a vessel,-and sails for Manikin land, which lies within the Southern Polar basin, beyond the walls of ice, that are penetrable only though certain chinks.

Reaching the country of the Monikins in safety, they land with-

out adventure at Leaphi,gh (England), and attend a meeting of silvans and of the public, who assemble in large numbers upon the occasion. Dr. Reasono exhibits a practical proof of the different

lights in which we look at ourselves from those in which others view us, by the account he gives of his travels. He states that he voluntarily went for the benefit of science with the sealers, who carried off him and his party ; he represents the Savoy- aids from whom Sir John had purchased him as guides lie bad hired; and finally, he introduces the cabin-boy Smut as heir apparent to the King of Great Britain (sent to improve himself by travelling under the Decor), Noah Poke as Lord High Ad- miral, the ship's crew as post-captains, and his benefictor, Gold- enealf, as a tutor to the young prince. Upon this the party go to court; where Noah Poke inadvertently commits high trea- son, but is saved by the niceties of the law and the skill ol his lawyer. The seaman, thoroughly frightened, determines to leave Leaphigh; and having made the acquaintance of two natives of Leaplow (America), they proceed thither with a cargo of such commodities as "Opinions on the state of manners and society in Leaplow." They are naturalized as soon as they reach a sort of

low-water-mark ; and are put up for and elected members of the Assembly, called Legion and nicknamed Bobees (Congress), before they land. After passing through many adventures, bearing a part in many discussions and making several speeches, Poke, in a

longing for animal food, kills and cooks one of hisMonikin friends, and invites his brother senator to the repast. When Goldencalf has satisfied his appetite, he is struck by the sight of the uneaten head; the shock awakes him from the delirium of a fever ; and recovering at the same time from his expansion mania or social stake system, he marries his Anna, and is created Viscount House- holder.

Had this outline been well filled up, a work of considerable sower and use might have been produced : but (though we scarcely agree with some of our contemporaries in the sweeping censure they have passed upon it) the Manikins is certainly a failure. The early life of the hero's father, which afforded room for shrewd remarks, interesting changes, and humarous scenes and characters, displays the grossest ignorance of life, and exhi- bits the exaggeration without the corusement of a caricature. Censure equally strong may be applied to the deathbed scene, and to the whole conduct of young Goldencalf; whilst the discussions at Pais between himself and Dr. Reason() are dull and Ivearisome to the last degree. IV hen they set out on their voyage, however, the work brightens up a little: the approach to the wall of ice—the manner in which they coast along it, with the comfortable cer- tainty that to claw-off is impossible, and that they must shortly go to pieces upon it if no opening is found—remind one of COOPER s earlier tea-scenes. The easy, polished indifference with which Lord Chatterino, notwithstanding his obligations, treats Goldencalf and Poke, when he meets them fir the first time at Leaphigh, is well hit oil: the whole of Dr. Reasono's lecture is a happy parody, but rather overdone; and many of the points in the subsequent scenes are well made, though far too diffuse in the execution ; whilst the al'egories are sometimes too remote for ready application. The merits of this part, in short, are lightness and point; the defects, want of strength and of matter.

For there reasons, as well as from the difficulty of readily en- tering into the spirit of the work when disjointedly presented to the mind, it is not very easy to choose independent extracts. One of the most manageable is the following hit at American diplo- macy. The Brigadier is a Leaplow lawyer, who is, according to custom, travelling under a military title; and Judge People's Friend is the Ambassador—

I now began seriously to think of sailing for Leaplow; for I confess I was heartily tired of being thought the governor of his Royal Highness Prince Bob,

and pined to be restored once more to my proper place in society. I was the more incited to make the change, by the representations of the Brigadier, who asured me that it was sufficient to come from foreign parts to be esteemed a nobleman in Leaplow, and that I need not apprehend in his country any of the ill treatment I had received in the one iu which I now was. After talking over the matter, therefore, in a familiar way, we determined to repair at once to the Leaplow legation, in order to ask for our passports, and to offer, at the same time, to carry any despatches that Judge People's Friend might have prepared for his government; it being the custom of the Leaplowers to trust to these godsends in carry.irr, on their diplomatic correspondence. We found the purge in undress; and a very different figure he cut, certainly, from that which he made when I saw him the previous night at court. Then he was all Tame ; now he was all bob. He seemed glad to see us, however, and quite delighted when I told him of the intention to sail for Leaplow as soon as the wind served. Ile instantly asked for a passage for himself, with Repub- lican simplicity. There was to be another turn of the great and little wheels, be said, and it Was quite important to himself to be on the spot; for, although every thing was, beyond all question, managed with perfect Republican propriety, yet, some- how—and yet he did not know exactly how, but somehow—those who are on the spot always get the best prizes.

The passage is cheerfully granted, and time allowed the Judge to step into the streets to hunt up a Char0 d'Affaires. Several refused it, but at last a travelling Leaplower is luckily found to whom these parting instructions are given. It would seem that neglect of individuals is not the sin of English diplomatists only-

" You are on all occasions," he said, " to take the utmost care not to offend the court of Leaphigh' or the meanest of the courtiers, by advancing any of our peculiar opinions, all of which, beyond dispute, you have at your finger-ends. On this score you are to be KO particular, that you may, even in your own person, pro tempore, abandon Republicanism—yea, sacred Republicanism itself! —knowing that it can easily be resumed on your return home again. You are to remember there is nothing so undiplomatic, or even vulgar, as to have an opinion on any subject, unless it should be the opinion of the persons you may happen to be in company with; aud, as we have the reputation of possessing that quality in an eminent degree everywhere but at lurne, take especial heed to eschew vulgarity —if you can. You will leave tire greatest care, al,u, to wear the shortest bob in all your private, and the longest tail in all your public relations ; this being one of the most important of the celebrated checks and balances of our government. Our institutions being expressly farmed by the mass, for the particular benefit of all, you will be excessively carefid not to let the claims daily one citizen, or even any set of citizens, interfere with that harmony which it is so necessary, for the purposes of trade, to maintain with all foreign courts; which courts being accustomed themselves to consider the subjects as cattle, to be worked in the traces of the state, am e singularly restive when they hear of any individual being made of so much importance. Should any Leaplower become troublesome on this score, give him a bad name at once; and in order to effect that object with your own -single-minded and right.loving countrymen, swear that he is a disorganizer, and, my life on it, both public opinions at home will sustain you,; for there is nothing on which our public opinions agree so well as the absolute deference which they pay to foreign public opinions,—and this the more especially in all matters that are likely. to affect profits, by deranging com-

merce. You will, above all things, make it a point to be in constant relations with some of the readiest paragraph-writers of the newspapers, in order to see that facts are properly stated at home. "Above all things, you will be patriotic and Republican ; avoiding the least vindication of your country and its institutions, and satisfying yourself with say- ing that the latter are, at least, well suited to the former. If you should say this in a way to leave the impression on your hearers that you think the former tilted for nothing else, it will be particularly agreeable and thoroughly Republi- can, and most eminently modest and praiseworthy. You will find the diplo-

matic agents of all other states sensitive on the point of their peculiar political usages, and prompt to defend them; but this is a weakness you will rigidly abstain from imitating,—for our polity being exclusively based on reason, you are to show a dignified confidence in the potency of that fundamental priLeiple, nor in any way lessen the high character that reason already, enjoys, by giving any one cause to suspect you think reason is not fully able to take ear ,• of itself."