The American Quarterly Review, No. 17, March 1831

In Short

This volume acts as a window into the nineteenth-century American mind, featuring a curated selection of critical essays, historical accounts, and contemporary reviews. It navigates a diverse range of topics—from the social habits of French travelers and the medicinal debates surrounding tobacco to the complex constitutional struggles of the Jacksonian era and the nascent economic potential of American industry. By grounding its intellectual inquiries in the practical realities of its time, the work preserves the era's unique blend of high-minded philosophical speculation and pragmatic concern for nation-building. It has lasted as a vital primary source, documenting the shifting political, scientific, and cultural landscape that defined the United States during a period of rapid westward and industrial expansion.

The Story

The narrative arc of this review is not one of a single plot, but of a nation attempting to define its place in a global context. It opens with the bustle of intellectual travel, following the movements of figures like Lady Morgan, whose accounts of France and the continent serve as a springboard for discussions on social order, the role of police, and the inevitable "ennui" that plagues both the idle aristocrat and the philosopher. The text moves from these cosmopolitan observations into the deeper, often darker, corners of human psychology. It ponders the nature of contentment, the destructive pull of scandal, and the restless motivations of the criminal mind, drawing on memoirs and historical anecdotes to suggest that human nature remains a constant, regardless of the era or the geography.

From the internal landscape of the soul, the focus shifts outward to the physical world and the forces that shape it. The contributors engage in a rigorous exploration of geological history, discussing the "great physical revolutions" of the earth, the extinction of species, and the relatively recent emergence of man. This scientific inquiry is seamlessly interwoven with reports on the practical, material world—the global trade of tea, the infrastructure of far-flung Russian outposts like Ochotsk, and the burgeoning agricultural success of the American sugar industry. These sections reveal an era obsessed with classifying the world and harnessing its resources, viewing the planet as a vast laboratory for human ingenuity.

As the collection reaches its conclusion, it settles into the urgent political and constitutional debates that defined the American experience in 1831. It examines the tensions between executive power and judicial authority, specifically centering on the legal battles involving Andrew Jackson and the legal establishment in New Orleans. The contributors grapple with the question of whether a citizen can be treated as a spy, the risks of unchecked administrative power, and the future of the national bank. The work ends on a note of caution and foresight, warning that the "quibbling spirit" of legalism and the temptation of political corruption could undermine the stability of the young republic. It concludes by advocating for economic policies that keep capital within the country, suggesting that the vigor of American commerce, navigation, and manufacturing is the final, necessary ingredient for securing the nation’s survival in a world of competing powers.

How It Unfolds

The traveler's lens The text introduces the reader to the literary and social observations of European travelers, contrasting the perceived misery of foreign mendicants with the order of modern police systems. It immediately sets a tone of intellectual scrutiny, questioning the originality of "men of genius" when compared to the established wisdom of figures like Samuel Johnson or Walter Scott.

The anatomy of discontent The discussion pivots to the internal struggles of the human spirit, using the concept of ennui to explain everything from philosophical suicide to the petty habits of gossip. By examining the lives of historical figures and criminals alike, the authors argue that human nature is fundamentally driven by a restless desire for excitement and purpose.

The physical and geological world The narrative expands to encompass the natural history of the globe, detailing how mountain ranges arise and how fossil strata track the history of creation. It bridges the gap between ancient cataclysms and the modern state of the earth, setting the stage for human dominance over the environment.

The mechanics of empire and trade The focus shifts to the administration of remote territories and the economics of global commodities like tea and sugar. The text illustrates how governments—whether in Russia or the United States—attempt to impose order on vast, untamed landscapes through infrastructure and agricultural policy.

The constitutional climax The final movement centers on the volatile political climate of the United States, analyzing the clash between personal liberty and executive decree. It critiques the legalistic debates of the day, ultimately arguing for a stable, national financial foundation to protect the country’s future against both domestic and foreign instability.

The People

The book is populated by a mix of historical icons and intellectual archetypes. Andrew Jackson appears as a formidable, often impulsive figure whose clash with Judge Martin serves as the centerpiece for the volume's constitutional drama. Judge Martin, in turn, represents the voice of legal restraint, struggling to maintain the jurisdiction of the courts against the "ebullition of anger" from the executive branch.

Vasco Nunez is portrayed as a charismatic leader of men, possessing the "frank and fearless character" necessary to manage a colony, while the Count de Frontenac is cast as a cautionary example of a "petty tyrant" who stifles genius. Alongside these power brokers, figures like Lady Morgan provide the intellectual commentary, serving as a lightning rod for the reviewers' own critical musings. The "poor Indian" and the "unhappy dyspeptic" also emerge as significant figures, representing the victims of social and physical malaise. Each of these individuals, whether historical or symptomatic, illustrates a different facet of the 1831 worldview: the drive for power, the obsession with health and morality, and the desperate search for order in an increasingly complex and legalistic society.

In Its Own Voice

"The diligence of trades and noiseful gain, / And luxury more late, asleep were laid: / All was the night's:"

The author quotes this verse to capture the rare, quiet stillness of a Dublin street before the chaos of a journey begins.

"If time did not hang heavy, what would become of scandal?"

This rhetorical question highlights the author's belief that idleness and boredom are the primary engines behind the malicious gossip that society relies on for entertainment.

"The confederations, that are called perpetual, only last till one of the contracting parties finds it to its interest to break them."

This observation, attributed to the First Consul, reflects the cynical but pragmatic view of political alliances that the reviewers apply to the future of the United States.

What It's Really About

At its core, this review is about the struggle to impose order upon a world that is inherently chaotic. Whether the authors are discussing the physical formation of the earth through "great physical revolutions," the erratic and "fiery" behavior of colonial populations, or the volatile nature of constitutional law, the underlying theme remains the same: the necessity of structure. The book asks whether the human intellect, through the application of law, science, and careful economic policy, can successfully manage the forces of "ennui," corruption, and political instability. It is a work preoccupied with the "spirit of the age"—a time, the authors suggest, that is becoming increasingly analytical, metaphysical, and critical, moving away from the imaginative wonders of the past toward a drier, more rigorous examination of the mechanisms that keep a nation, and a civilization, running.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the slow, deliberate pace of nineteenth-century prose and have an interest in the intellectual foundations of the American republic will find this volume deeply rewarding. It offers a rare, unfiltered look at how educated minds in 1831 processed the world around them. The writing is characterized by a mix of high-flown, often biting wit and a genuine, earnest curiosity about the burgeoning sciences of geology and economics.

However, the modern reader should be prepared for the book's density. The language is formal and occasionally convoluted, reflecting the "metaphysical" style of the time, which the text itself notes as a defining feature of the era. Furthermore, the attitudes toward indigenous peoples, the treatment of colonial subjects, and the casual, often clinical discussions of "dyspepsia" or the "moral" failings of the poor reflect the period's limitations and prejudices. Despite these challenges, the book is a valuable artifact for anyone wishing to understand the historical context of American institutions. What stays with you is the sense of transition: the feeling that the contributors were standing on the threshold of a modern, industrialized world, desperately trying to map its rules before the "quibbling spirit" of the future could take hold. It feels less like a finished product and more like an ongoing conversation, one that invites the reader to step into the study of a 19th-century intellectual and participate in the debates that were, quite literally, shaping the nation.