Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Vol. 79, No. 485, March, 1856

In Short

Published in March 1856, this historical periodical offers a diverse collection of essays, reviews, and political commentary reflecting mid-nineteenth-century British thought. The volume traverses ancient Assyrian and Roman history, critiques modern journalism and foreign filibustering in Nicaragua, examines the domestic hardships of French literary life, and defends traditional British institutions like the House of Lords. Balancing rigorous economic arguments regarding Scottish fisheries with intimate biographical reflections on Sydney Smith, it survives as a fascinating window into the intellectual anxieties and imperial ambitions of the Victorian era.

The Story

The volume opens with a skeptical meditation on the interpretation of ancient Assyrian and Syrian rock inscriptions, questioning whether deciphered records of conquerors like Shalmanasser offer any true wisdom beyond recounting savage cruelty. This theme of historical legacy shifts to Rome, contrasting Livy’s romanticized legends of Camillus and the Gallic sack with Polybius’s sobering political realities. The text argues that Rome’s downfall was ultimately sealed not merely by military failures, but by the systemic greed of senatorial proconsuls and the corrosive moral rot of its slave-system.

From antiquity, the journal transitions to the poignant, modest realities of private life through a brief narrative of Alexis and a dying Annette, struggling in Parisian garrets before her final, wistful return to her native village. This intimate sorrow contrasts sharply with the archaic pageantry of medieval feudalism, where the text contrasts authentic chivalry with the noisy pretences of knight-errantry, illustrated by villagers clearing castle moats of frogs at the behest of the Sire de Montbason.

The focus then sharpens on contemporary public life, addressing the rise of modern journalism, the character of newspaper editors, and the gritty, competitive success of Horace Greeley’s New York Tribune alongside his partner Thomas M'Elrath. Shifting to international geopolitics, the volume evaluates the uneasy European war against Russia, predicting profound transformations for the Ottoman Empire and the awakening of its Christian subjects. This spirit of aggressive expansionism is mirrored in the Americas, where the text details Colonel William Walker’s filibustering expedition and the subsequent establishment of a new coalition government in Nicaragua under President Patricio Rivas.

Returning to domestic British concerns, the work launches into a passionate economic and administrative defense of the Scottish fisheries. It details the catastrophic loss of life during the gale of August 1848 across stations like Helmsdale, Buckie, and Peterhead, while emphasizing the vital national importance of the fishing fleet as a nursery for hardy seamen. Backed by extensive statistical tables detailing barrel exports to Prussian ports, the text forcefully opposes the abolition of the Scottish Board of Fisheries, arguing that local governance is essential to protecting these coastal communities.

Finally, the volume turns inward, reviewing Lady Holland’s memoir of the witty clergyman Sydney Smith. It traces his journey from Foston to Combe Florey, noting how his later years were shadowed by personal grief, the loss of his son, and the gradual passing of his contemporaries like Earl Grey. The collection closes with a rigorous constitutional warning, defending the hereditary character of the House of Lords and fiercely contesting the Crown’s prerogative to create life-peerages, ending on a resolute note of conservative caution against political innovation.

How It Unfolds

The decipherment of antiquity The volume begins by examining ancient rock carvings and Roman histories, contrasting romantic legends with the harsh truths of ancient cruelty and senatorial corruption. It questions the moral value of recording endless barbarian conquests while analyzing the systemic causes of Rome's eventual downfall and slavery.

The private tragedy of Paris Shifting from grand empires to intimate sorrow, the narrative follows a struggling writer named Alexis and his ailing wife Annette. Driven by her fading health and deep longing for the countryside, Annette makes a poignant final journey home before her peaceful death.

The rise of modern journalism The discussion turns to the expanding influence of the press and the mechanics of newspaper editing in America and Britain. It highlights the volatile career of Horace Greeley and his successful partnership with Thomas M'Elrath in building the New York Tribune.

The filibustering of Nicaragua Analyzing international affairs, the text details how Colonel William Walker and a small force of Americans seized military and political control of Nicaragua. This intervention culminates in a fragile new coalition government headed by President Patricio Rivas and General Walker.

The defense of Scottish fisheries Detailing the devastating 1848 coastal gales that claimed many brave fishermen's lives, the text emphasizes the maritime industry's vital economic and national value. It presents extensive trade statistics and argues strongly against dissolving the administrative Scottish Board of Fisheries.

The constitutional twilight of old age The volume concludes by reflecting on the later years and personal griefs of Sydney Smith alongside the passing of his literary contemporaries. It finishes with a staunch constitutional argument defending the hereditary House of Lords against the dangerous encroachment of life-peerages.

The People

Several distinct figures anchor the volume's diverse discussions. Shalmanasser represents the ancient conqueror whose desire is absolute dominion and military glory, though his boastful records are met with modern satiety and disgust. Alexis and Annette are ordinary people caught in urban poverty; Alexis wants to sustain his family in Paris, while Annette wants only to escape the city air and die in her native village. Their path is blocked by grinding poverty and failing health, leaving Alexis heartbroken and bereaved after her passing. Horace Greeley seeks political and journalistic influence through the founding of a cheap daily paper, overcoming fierce competition and subscriber unreliability alongside his pragmatic business partner Thomas M'Elrath, who provides the necessary operational stability. Colonel William Walker embodies the aggressive American expansionist who desires control over Central America; despite initial obstacles and a tiny starting force, he successfully navigates civil strife to become Commander-in-Chief alongside Provisional President Patricio Rivas, establishing a new government. Sydney Smith is portrayed as a joyous, benevolent clergyman and wit who desires to serve others and maintain his intellectual standing, yet finds himself ultimately blocked by the sorrowful ravages of old age and the loss of his son and contemporaries. Finally, Lord Wensleydale emerges briefly as the focal point of a constitutional struggle, representing a new legal peerage whose creation is resisted by critics who fear the alteration of the historic House of Lords.

In Its Own Voice

Reflecting on the boastful and destructive nature of ancient conquerors, the author questions the value of deciphering stone monuments:

“If the rock, with all its inscriptions, can tell us nothing wiser or newer, it is a pity that there were no rains in that climate to wash the surface smooth, and obliterate these boastful records of barbarian cruelty and destruction.”

Describing the relentless energy behind the foundation of a prominent American daily newspaper, the text highlights its foundational ethos:

“FIGHT was the word with it from the start—FIGHT has been the word ever since—FIGHT is the word this day.”

Contemplating the inevitable sorrows that shadow the conclusion of a long and joyous life, the author notes:

“How melancholy is the ending of every record of a lengthened life!”

What It's Really About

The volume explores the complex tension between historical myth and political reality, questioning whether human progress truly supersedes ancient cycles of violence, corruption, and imperial ambition. It investigates the moral responsibilities of institutions, contrasting the corrupting greed of ancient Roman governance with the modern expansion of the press, foreign filibustering, and European geopolitical warfare. Beneath its varied essays lies a deep underlying anxiety concerning stability and decay—whether examining the physical fragility of human life, the economic survival of remote coastal fishing communities, or the constitutional preservation of traditional British governance against radical legislative innovation.

Why Read It Today

Readers fascinated by Victorian intellectual culture, period journalism, and the rich texture of mid-nineteenth-century thought will find this volume deeply rewarding. Reading it feels precisely like sitting in a nineteenth-century study, browsing an intelligent, highly opinionated monthly review that moves effortlessly from classical Roman history to contemporary geopolitics and local coastal economies. However, modern readers must be prepared to navigate certain period difficulties, including dense constitutional arguments, extensive statistical trade tables regarding Scotch herrings, and nineteenth-century attitudes toward foreign expansion and governance. Those who persevere through these technical passages will deeply appreciate the sharp editorial voice, the poignant biographical sketches of figures like Sydney Smith, and the vivid snapshot of an empire standing on the brink of profound modernization. It is an ideal text for anyone curious about how mid-Victorian intellectuals synthesized ancient history, foreign conflict, and domestic tradition into a coherent worldview.