The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 17, No. 102, April, 1866: A Magazine of Literature, Science, Art, and Politics

In Short

This issue of The Atlantic Monthly brings together fiction, intimate literary biography, political argument, and philosophical fantasy to capture a nation emerging from the Civil War. A memoir tracks the final, tragic years of the brilliant writer Walter Savage Landor in Italy; Charles Reade's serialized novel tests a marriage against religious jealousy; and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s notebooks reveal a master author’s rawest creative sparks. Meanwhile, trenchant political essays confront President Andrew Johnson’s Reconstruction policies and black civil rights. Together, these varied voices capture the intellectual pulse, artistic ambitions, and social anxieties of post-war 1866 America.

The Story

The volume moves fluidly between personal reminiscence, cultural criticism, and dramatic narrative, beginning with an intimate portrait of Walter Savage Landor's final years in Florence. The fiery, brilliant author of Imaginary Conversations spends his twilight days wrestling with physical decay and lost faculties, yet retaining his sharp wit, idiosyncratic classical scholarship, and memories of contemporaries like Wordsworth and Hazlitt. Landor's majestic, slow descent into the dark valley sets a reflective tone for the pages that follow.

From there, the issue pivots into narrative fiction and satire. An imaginative specimen of philosophical science fiction describes a human traveller captured on Mars. Adopted by a family of avian-like "Martials," the narrator plays his bamboo organ, learns their language, and bewilders his hosts, who debate whether a terrestrial "Batrachian" can possess a rational soul, sentiments of piety, or moral judgment. Domestic satire follows in a Parisian tale, where an American protagonist recounts his absurd encounters with the grand, flounced Mrs. Waldoborough, her scheming companion, and her unexpectedly minuscule, wealthy husband.

In serialized fiction, two central plots unfold. In Doctor Johns, the lingering secrets of identity and parentage reach a fever pitch as Adèle uncovers the truth about her late mother, Julie Chalet, while Reuben leads a dashing life in New York society, grappling with his unselfish devotion to her across a social chasm. Meanwhile, in Charles Reade's Griffith Gaunt, a high-spirited wife, Mrs. Kate Gaunt, finds herself pulled between her well-meaning, fox-hunting husband Griffith and the magnetic, eloquent young priest, Father Leonard. A subtle, dangerous intimacy develops in plain sight between Kate and the preacher, culminating in a secretive encounter in a sunlit grove.

Interspersed throughout are acute cultural critiques and historical investigations. A writer laments the indignities of urban boarding-house life, dreaming of a ideal city apartment while exposing the domestic struggles of independent women. Another article exposes the harsh, unlawful violent repressions occurring in Jamaica under British colonial rule. The volume's political core emerges in a fierce defense of Congressional authority against President Andrew Johnson, arguing that the defeated Southern states cannot simply reclaim their seats without guaranteeing justice and securing the victory bought with Union blood. The issue concludes on a warmer, artistic note, offering personal anecdotes of Sir Joshua Reynolds, his chaotic dinner parties, and his friendship with Dr. Samuel Johnson.

How It Unfolds

A genius fades in Florence An American friend recalls Walter Savage Landor’s last days, recording his fiery wit, his hatred of Latin grave inscriptions, and his humorous recollections of Hazlitt and Wordsworth.

An earthly visitor on Mars A stranded human narrator adapts to life among avian Martians, conversing via a bamboo organ while his hosts puzzle over his surprising moral capacity.

Snares and silks in Paris An American visitor in France is mesmerized by the overwhelming Mrs. Waldoborough, only to be astonished when her tiny, parchment-faced husband pays the bills.

Fragments of a master's mind Passages from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s private notebooks reveal vivid descriptions of desolate coastal beaches, dead seabirds, and brief, haunting ideas for future stories.

Secrets of a mother's grave Adèle writes to her distant father after discovering the name Julie Chalet, grappling with her love, her isolation, and the gulf separating her from Reuben.

A dangerous communion Mrs. Kate Gaunt attends church despite her husband Griffith's reluctance, sparking a quiet, intense mutual fascination with the eloquent preacher Father Leonard.

Reconstruction and the republic A sharp political essay attacks President Johnson’s lenient peace terms, demanding that Congress safeguard the nation and refuse quick readmission to former rebel states.

The People

• Walter Savage Landor: An aging, legendary English author living in Florence. Fiercely independent and proud, he loses his teeth and intellect to time, yet retains his sharp humor and love for human connection until his death.
• Mrs. Waldoborough: A magnificent, highly expansive American woman living in Paris. She surrounds herself with luxury, bad French, and crowded receptions, masking her financial dependence on a tiny, wealthy husband.
• Adèle Maverick: A sensitive young woman uncovering the dark secrets of her lineage. She longs for her father's affection and freedom from her emotional chains while navigating her deep feelings for Reuben.
• Mrs. Kate Gaunt: A devout, proud, and intelligent woman torn between her straightforward, worldly husband Griffith and her growing, secretive spiritual attraction to a charming local priest.
• Griffith Gaunt: A rustic, fox-hunting country squire. He loves his wife deeply but lacks her religious fervor, unwittingly allowing a charismatic preacher to capture her mind.
• Father Leonard: An eloquent, impassioned young clergyman whose preaching captivates Mrs. Gaunt, leading him to harbor a covert, dangerous admiration for her.

In Its Own Voice

"Why should extremely few persons, the least capable, perhaps, of sympathy, be invited to sympathize, while thousands are excluded from it by the iron grate of a dead language?"

A reflective Walter Savage Landor questions the absurdity of writing tombstone inscriptions in Latin rather than the living language of the heart.

"I saw a crab in one of them; five-fingers too. From the edge of the rocks, you may look off into deep, deep water, even at low tide."

Nathaniel Hawthorne notes the quiet, minute details of a tidal pool in his private journal, observing nature with a writer's patient eye.

"No sophistry that perplexes the brain of the people can prevent this fact being felt in their hearts."

An editorial essayist passionately rejects the political contortions used to justify admitting former Rebel leaders back into the United States Congress.

What It's Really About

This collection explores the tensions of a society rebuilding itself after loss, dealing with hidden identities, shifting moral boundaries, and political transformation. Through its biographical sketches and serialized fiction, the magazine asks how individuals preserve their integrity when old structures break down. The literary entries ponder the nature of genius, memory, and spiritual longing, while the non-fiction essays tackle practical questions of equity, colonial violence, and post-war justice. Underneath its varied topics lies a persistent inquiry into what a truly rational, just, and civilized society owes to its members—whether on Earth, in revolutionary politics, or on distant imagined planets.

Why Read It Today

This volume offers a captivating time capsule of American intellectual life at a critical historical crossroads. Reading it feels like sitting in an 1860s library, turning the pages alongside readers who were actively wrestling with the fallout of the Civil War. The writing is refined yet remarkably accessible, balancing high literary art with sharp social commentary.

Modern readers will appreciate the intimate glimpses into famous literary lives—such as Hawthorne’s creative jottings and Landor’s eccentric final days—alongside the thrilling narrative tension of Reade’s fiction. The primary challenge for a contemporary reader lies in its period context: references to 19th-century political figures, archaic social customs, and mid-Victorian racial attitudes require a bit of patience. Yet the prose remains wonderfully alive. The sharp debates over justice and national identity feel strikingly relevant today, making this issue a deeply rewarding read for lovers of history, classic literature, and historical journalism.