The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 03, No. 18, April, 1859: A Magazine of Literature, Art, and Politics

In Short

This issue of The Atlantic Monthly presents a panoramic slice of mid-nineteenth-century intellectual life, blending rigorous political analysis, serial fiction, introspective poetry, and cultural criticism. The collection opens with an investigation into the historic conflict between property holders and social reformers, moves through romantic and domestic serialized narratives, and explores the turbulent affairs of the Mormon Territory in Utah. Interspersed with musings on Italian travel, the psychological necessity of athletic recreation, and reviews of contemporary historical scholarship, the volume captures a nation rapidly expanding, self-reflecting, and wrestling with its internal ideological fractures.

The Story

The volume opens with a sweeping historical essay that frame human civilization as an unending struggle between the "House of HAVE and the House of WANT." From ancient Sparta to contemporary American slaveholders and northern farmers, the drive to acquire property—and the subsequent dread of losing it—fuels political power, severe laws, and the persistent demonization of economic reformers as destructive "Agrarians." The essay examines how post-revolutionary France succumbed to widespread paranoia over the "Red Spectre," sacrificing democratic ideals for military authoritarianism in a futile attempt to crush the working class’s simple demand for labor.

Parallel to these grand historical arguments are intimate human dramas. A serialized novel follows Mr. Greenleaf as he delivers a painful confession to Marcia Sandford, severing their engagement after admitting his lingering commitment to another woman who possesses no property or expectations. Marcia scorns his weakness, rejecting his unprompted candor as the mark of a fickle fool, while Greenleaf leaves convinced that her harshness reveals an incompatibility that saves him from a loveless union. Another narrative thread introduces Fred Shaw, an invalid gazing out at a Boston snowstorm. As he watches a cheerful neighbor return home to his family, Fred falls into profound reflection. He analyzes his own psychological detachment, realizing that self-centered intellectualism has narrowed his soul. Recalling long-forgotten Biblical verses on charity, he learns that true spiritual vitality requires active love for one's fellow human beings rather than isolated self-cultivation.

The journal then shifts toward historical and geographical horizons. A review of Samuel Greene Arnold's history of Rhode Island chronicles the colony's chaotic origins, detailing its fiercely independent pioneers and their notorious "Impertinent File" of combative civic letters. Travel sketches from Rome capture the sensory atmosphere of narrow streets, religious processions, and the cheerful songs of open-air cobblers, arguing that time and decay lend a necessary beauty that modern cleanliness threatens to destroy. Meanwhile, a detailed political account documents the standoff between the United States government and the Mormon hierarchy in Utah, detailing Brigham Young's absolute control over his followers, his creation of an inflated internal currency, and the eventual capitulation to federal authority. The issue closes with an installment of Harriet Beecher Stowe's serialized novel set in New England, alongside critical reviews of major contemporary works, including Spedding’s edition of Francis Bacon and David Masson’s biography of John Milton.

How It Unfolds

The eternal struggle An opening political essay traces the historic conflict between property owners and the poor, explaining how fear of economic reform drives ruling classes toward authoritarian surveillance.

A painful severing In a tense domestic scene, Mr. Greenleaf confesses his broken vows to Marcia Sandford, enduring her fierce scorn before realizing her bitter reaction frees him from an unsuited match.

Spiritual awakening in the storm Watching a snowstorm from his window, the bedridden Fred Shaw contemplates the separation of his mind and body, discovering that intellectual pride isolates him while active charity restores his humanity.

The chaotic birth of Rhode Island A historical survey details the volatile founding of Rhode Island, highlighting how stubborn, fiercely democratic idealists managed to preserve civil liberty despite perpetual internal feuds.

Vignettes of Roman life A traveler wanders through twilight streets in Rome, celebrating the artistic value of aged, crumbling walls and describing the daily routines of singing street cobblers.

Rebellion in the Utah Territory A journalistic account details the Mormon conflict, illustrating Brigham Young's absolute financial and political authority over his community during the negotiation of a presidential pardon.

Domestic life and literary notices The issue concludes with serialized New England fiction featuring the formidable servant Candace, followed by critical evaluations of new volumes on Francis Bacon, Spanish history, and John Milton.

The People

• The Agrarian and the Property Owner: Idealized archetypes in the opening essay representing the perpetual social conflict between the impoverished who seek sustenance and the wealthy who fear redistribution.
• Mr. Greenleaf: A conflicted suitor who chooses to confess his past pledges to Marcia Sandford, valuing radical honesty over worldly advantage despite being branded a fool.
• Marcia Sandford: A proud, sharp-tongued woman who scorns Greenleaf’s sudden confession, viewing his vacillation as weak-mindedness and demanding absolute steel in the man she loves.
• Fred Shaw: An introspective invalid who wrestles with vanity and intellectual isolation, ultimately discovering through memory and observation that charity outweighs mere self-education.
• Brigham Young: The formidable leader of the Mormon hierarchy, who exercises absolute command over his followers' finances, currency, and political destiny during tensions with the U.S. government.
• Candace: A powerful, large-hearted New England cook who manages her kitchen with casual strength while offering pragmatic, affectionate wisdom on human frailties.

In Its Own Voice

"The oldest contest that has divided society is that which has so long been waged between the House of HAVE and the House of WANT." An opening philosophical essay defines human history as an unceasing conflict driven by the acquisition and defense of property.

"Love is impossible where there are concealments. A secret is like a worm in the heart of an apple, and nothing but rottenness and corruption follow." Mr. Greenleaf defends his painful confession to Marcia, arguing that absolute transparency is essential for any true marriage.

"Thrift and exceeding cleanness are sadly at war with the picturesque. To whatever the hand of man builds the hand of Time adds a grace, and nothing is so prosaic as the rawly new." A reflective traveler defends the grimy, crumbling walls of Rome against modern demands for whitewashed neatness.

What It's Really About

At its heart, this collection examines the tension between order and individual liberty across political, spiritual, and artistic spheres. The non-fiction essays argue that extreme fear of social change often pushes societies toward tyranny, as seen in post-revolutionary France or the tight control of the Mormon Territory. On an individual scale, the literary pieces explore how rigid self-interest isolates the soul, whether through Marcia Sandford's haughty pride or Fred Shaw's solitary intellectualism. The volume continuously asks how individuals and societies can maintain freedom, charity, and aesthetic beauty without succumbing to the crushing weight of anxiety, authoritarian control, or sterile conformity.

Why Read It Today

This volume offers a captivating window into the nineteenth-century American mind on the eve of the Civil War. It captures a cultured, deeply curious society weighing complex economic theories alongside personal morality and urban aesthetics. Readers who enjoy literary history, Victorian period journals, or historical prose will appreciate its rich vocabulary, measured cadence, and balanced structure.

The prose demands an attentive reader. It features long, periodic sentences, classical historical references, and occasional regional dialect in its serialized fiction. Yet the writing remains remarkably clear and sharp. The volume's lasting appeal lies in its impressive breadth: it transitions seamlessly from high-level political philosophy to vivid atmospheric travel writing and quiet psychological drama, demonstrating how mid-nineteenth-century writers confronted timeless questions of wealth, faith, and human connection.