Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 369, July 1846

In Short

This volume is an anthology of the July 1846 issue of a prominent Scottish literary magazine. It functions as a curated survey of contemporary thought, ranging from the rugged realities of travel in Peru and the political machinations of the British Empire to the theatrical arts and the lingering shadow of Napoleon Bonaparte. By blending travel journalism with rigorous historical analysis and biting literary reviews, it preserves the Victorian appetite for global discovery, political accountability, and moral philosophy, remaining a vital primary record of how an era documented its own rapidly changing world.

The Story

The volume opens by looking outward, embracing the Victorian fascination with "comparatively untrodden" regions. A detailed report on Peru introduces the reader to the daily life, customs, and stark landscape of the region, contrasting the "moral superiority" of the Creole ladies of Lima with their rather indulgent habits, and documenting the brutal, pragmatic realities of the local industry. From these distant shores, the focus shifts sharply back to the internal pressures of British life. A historical inquiry into the Duke of Marlborough’s dispatches provides a lens through which to examine the volatility of political power. The narrative here traces the trajectory of a military hero whose immense contributions to the state become the very fuel for his eventual undoing. Envy and political maneuvering, particularly the influence of Mrs. Masham at court, are presented as the corrosive forces that alienate the Queen from her most successful commander, leading to his inevitable professional decline.

The collection then pivots to the American frontier, featuring a fictional encounter between a stoic general and a group of opportunistic adventurers. This segment exposes the raw tension of the era, where issues of fugitive slaves, colonial expansion, and moral hypocrisy collide on the edge of the map. As the reader moves through these pages, they encounter shifting tones, moving from the dry, critical analysis of "new Scottish plays and poems"—which dismisses the "resuscitated Cockneys" of the literary scene—to a more somber, reflective meditation on the final days of Napoleon.

The arc of the volume concludes with an expansive examination of Napoleon’s fall. It is portrayed not merely as a military defeat, but as a providential judgment on the nature of unchecked ambition. The text meticulously reconstructs the desertion of his court and the "wavering" of his once-decisive mind, ultimately positioning his exile as the "final moral of human arrogance." The narrative journey across this volume is one of constant re-evaluation: the traveler in Peru is judged, the politician in London is undermined, the playwright is critiqued, and the Emperor is brought to his knees. Each section serves as a piece of a larger mosaic, revealing an age deeply concerned with the consequences of power, the instability of reputation, and the persistent desire to find order in an expanding, often chaotic, global experience.

How It Unfolds

The observation of distant lands The volume begins with a detailed, observational account of Peru, focusing on the social structure of Lima and the harsh realities of the brandy trade in the province of Yca.

The politics of military legacy The narrative transitions to the internal struggles of the British government, detailing the systematic efforts to undermine the Duke of Marlborough despite his military successes.

The collision of frontiers A dramatic scene in the American context exposes the underlying societal tensions regarding slavery and the rule of law, as a runaway slave is identified and apprehended.

The critical eye of the reviewer The focus shifts to literary and theatrical criticism, where the editors weigh in on the quality of contemporary Scottish plays and the relative merits of different schools of poetry.

The final judgment of history The volume closes with an extensive reflection on the fall of Napoleon, framing his life as an cautionary cycle of meteoric rise, moral failure, and inevitable ruin.

The People

The figures represented within these pages range from the historical to the archetypal. Marlborough stands as the central figure of the political essays; he is a man of "exalted merit" whose very success creates the vacuum of envy that leads to his downfall. Opposite him, Queen Anne is portrayed as a vulnerable monarch, easily swayed by the "studied coldness" and whispers of her court, specifically the influential Mrs. Masham.

In the travel writing, the "Limeñas" are depicted as complex, contradictory figures—admired for their beauty yet criticized for their domestic habits and perceived moral lapses. Meanwhile, in the American frontier narrative, Colonel Parker appears as the embodiment of order and authority, representing the encroaching power of the state as he enforces the law upon an band of untrustworthy adventurers. Finally, Napoleon Bonaparte dominates the concluding reflections. He is presented as a tragic, almost elemental force—an "extraordinary being" who lost his "fierce decision" and was ultimately crushed by a "conspiracy of clerks," serving as a grim testament to the fleeting nature of grandeur.

In Its Own Voice

The ladies of Lima, we learn, are in most respects far superior to the men.

This assessment introduces the travel report on Peru, where the author weighs the social standing and habits of the local population.

Envy, the inseparable attendant on exalted merit--ingratitude, the usual result of irrequitable services, had completely alienated the Queen from him.

This observation describes the political climate surrounding the Duke of Marlborough’s strained relationship with his sovereign.

The man who had guided the empire in its track of devastation--the soul of all its strength, of its ambition, and its evil--was swept away.

This final reflection captures the moral weight assigned to the collapse of the Napoleonic empire.

What It's Really About

At its core, this volume explores the instability of human achievement. Whether discussing the rise and fall of a military commander, the shifting allegiances of a royal court, or the collapse of an empire, the underlying question is how merit and power are sustained in a world governed by envy and change. The text grapples with the tension between individual greatness and the "providential" forces that seem to govern historical outcomes. It is a meditation on the cost of ambition, the fragility of order, and the persistent human drive to categorize and judge the "other," be they foreign subjects in Peru or political rivals in London. It asks: when does a hero become a liability, and how do nations reconcile their past glories with their present decline?

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the immersive experience of "time travel" through archival literature will find this volume deeply rewarding. It offers the rare sensation of sitting in a Victorian drawing room and catching the pulse of a world undergoing rapid shifts in politics, geography, and social norms. There is an undeniable pleasure in the precision of the writing—the sharp, sometimes biting wit of the reviewers and the earnest, if sometimes paternalistic, curiosity of the travel writers.

However, one must be prepared for the specific challenges of the period. The prose is dense, formal, and at times reflects the prejudices of 1846, particularly concerning international relations and social hierarchies. The dialect used in dramatic excerpts and the occasional references to obscure literary figures may require patience, and the shifting subjects can feel jarring to a reader accustomed to modern, singular narratives. Yet, these very difficulties are what make the book valuable. It does not provide the polished, sanitized version of history found in textbooks; instead, it offers the unfiltered, argumentative, and passionate voice of a century defining itself in real-time. What stays with the reader is the realization that the anxieties of 1846—about global influence, moral leadership, and the legacy of our leaders—are strikingly familiar.