Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXXVII, No. 4, October 1850

In Short

This October 1850 issue of a prominent Philadelphia monthly delivers an eclectic mixture of romantic fiction, biographical sketches, literary criticism, verse, and practical natural science. Readers encounter an exotic tale of captivity and redemption in Asia Minor, historical adventures from the American Revolution, verse honoring George Herbert and Christopher Columbus, and sharp-witted essays on music, ethics, and animal instinct. The periodical has lasted as an illuminating artifact of Antebellum print culture, preserving the precise aesthetic tastes, moral debates, high-minded romanticism, and commercial fashion trends that shaped the era’s popular imagination.

The Story

The volume moves across varied landscapes and genres, opening with X. B. Saintine’s melodramatic serial narrative, The Slave of the Pacha. Set in the Ottoman Empire, the story begins with a French traveler and a botanist who observe a mysterious couple in a French meadow, prompting a flashback to Asia Minor. There, a young woman named Baïla is sold by her heartless parents to a Turkish merchant for ten thousand piastres. She enters the luxurious harem of Djezzar, a ruthless pacha known for throwing human flesh to his lion, Haïder. Baïla tames both the tyrant and his wild beast, winning preeminence over his former favorite, Aysche, whom Djezzar mutilated and married off to a gardener after she begged for a prisoner's mercy.

Tension mounts when an old Abyssinian slave, Mariam, reveals that a young Frankish stranger has infiltrated the grounds to see Baïla. The stranger, Ferdinand, carries a small golden cross and views his mission as a divine quest to save Baïla’s Christian soul and perhaps convert the pacha himself. Ferdinand is caught and severely beaten by guards. Brought before Djezzar, who lies comfortably with his head on Baïla's lap and his arm around his lion, the bloodied captive boldly proclaims his faith. Baïla watches in terror and pity, knowing that a single slip of Ferdinand's tongue will condemn them both to immediate execution.

Interspersed throughout this central serial are non-fiction essays, historical chronicles, and critical pieces. A biographical sketch traces the Revolutionary War exploits of Thomas Johnson, a sailor under Captain Paul Jones who participates in daring raids on English batteries at Whitehaven and naval battles off European coasts. A lengthy treatise on music defends the art form as a deeply intellectual force essential to domestic, social, and national life rather than mere light entertainment.

Literary profiles examine the devotional fervor of early English poet George Herbert, contrasting his pious verse with the vanity of worldly pursuits. Natural history entries offer meticulous anatomical breakdowns of the Green-Winged and Blue-Winged Teal for sporting enthusiasts. Reviews of contemporary literature highlight the brilliant wit and rapid analysis of Sydney Smith’s lectures on human and animal reasoning. The issue concludes with domestic fiction addressing the strains of modern marriage and divorce, poetic tributes to William Wordsworth, and updates on imported French fashion plates.

How It Unfolds

The transaction in Asia Minor A mercenary couple bargains away their talented daughter Baïla to a Turkish merchant for ten thousand piastres. To evade Russian inspection, the entire transaction is negotiated through silent finger signs under the guise of trading honey and furs.

Life inside the summer palace Baïla becomes the supreme favorite in the harem of the fierce Djezzar Pacha, taming both the tyrant and his lion Haïder. She takes her place on silk cushions while learning the grim fate of the pacha's previous favorite.

A dangerous secret revealed The elderly slave Mariam confesses to Baïla that a young European named Ferdinand has secretly entered the palace gardens. Ferdinand risks his life driven by a fanatical mission to reach Baïla and reclaim her for the Christian faith.

Confrontation before the throne After undergoing severe torture, a bruised and bloody Ferdinand is brought before Djezzar, Baïla, and the crouching lion. He fearlessly preaches his faith to the pacha while Baïla trembles, fearing her own complicity will be exposed.

Echoes of history and art The issue shifts focus to historical accounts of Paul Jones's naval raids, reflections on the intellectual power of music, and analytical studies of early English devotional poetry and water-fowl biology.

The People

• Baïla wants to preserve her safety and power within the pacha’s harem. Threatened by the sudden arrival of a Christian stranger who puts her life in jeopardy, she navigates the peril using her charm, grace, and quick wits.
• Djezzar Pacha wants absolute submission from his subjects and total indulgence in his harem. He enforces his supreme authority through brutal violence, yet he yields completely to Baïla's soothing presence.
• Ferdinand wants to convert the pacha and rescue Baïla's soul from a life of captivity. Bound by religious zeal, he endures severe bodily torture without renouncing his holy mission.
• Mariam wants only to survive without drawing the wrath of her master. She finds herself trapped between her young mistress's dangerous curiosity and her own terror of violent execution.
• Don Augustino Inique wants to conceal the disgraceful truth of his son's lineage. He struggles between keeping his secret hidden and facing the knight Sir Pedro de Padilh, who urges him to make public restitution.
• Mr. Morrison wants to see traditional moral order and self-sacrifice restored to modern marriage. He rails against frivolous lifestyle choices and advocates strict religious seclusion for divorced couples.

In Its Own Voice

“She feared neither of them; the lion was tamed as well as the man; both obeyed her voice, her look.”

Baïla establishes her calm dominance while reclining in the palace beside her formidable master and his dangerous lion.

“Music, as a study, must, I think, be profoundly intellectual. In the oldest universities it has always had a place among the abstract sciences.”

The essayist defends the artistic and mental dignity of musical composition against critics who dismiss it as superficial pleasure.

“Kneeling ne’er spoiled silk stockings; quit thy state, All equal are within the church’s gate.”

A quoted line from the poet George Herbert reminds worshippers to abandon worldly pride and vanity when entering sacred spaces.

What It's Really About

The collection wrestles with the clash between worldly temptation and spiritual devotion. Across its fictional tales and moral essays, it questions whether true authority rests in brute physical power or in quiet, inner virtue. Romanticized views of the distant East collide with Western Christian ideals, using captivity and rescue as metaphors for moral redemption. The issue also examines the social strains of mid-nineteenth-century life, contrasting domestic duty against personal vanity in modern marriage. Throughout the volume, the authors repeatedly ask what transforms simple emotion into high art, whether through the sacred verses of George Herbert, the profound harmonies of Mozart, or the instinctual behaviors of the natural world.

Why Read It Today

This issue offers a fascinating, unedited portal into the literary tastes and cultural debates of Antebellum America. Readers who enjoy vintage periodicals, mid-nineteenth-century narrative styles, and eclectic anthologies will appreciate how seamlessly the issue transitions from high melodrama to serious aesthetic philosophy. The prose reflects its era: romantic descriptions are lush, moralizing essays are unapologetically earnest, and political commentary carries an unvarnished 1850s perspective.

The volume's chief difficulty lies in its fragmented nature. Reading it requires switching rapidly between serialized fiction, historical accounts, ornithological data, and rhyming verse. Some narrative excerpts break off abruptly with serial notices, leaving plot points unresolved, while the racial and cultural stereotypes in the orientalist tales reflect the prevailing biases of the nineteenth century. Yet the collection remains deeply rewarding for its sheer variety, capturing the warmth, intellectual ambition, and commercial flair of early American magazine publishing.