Blackwood's Edinburgh magazine, volume 456, no. 10, October 1853

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

78090

Title

Blackwood's Edinburgh magazine, volume 456, no. 10, October 1853

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This October 1853 issue of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine features a critical review of Harriet Beecher Stowe's 'Uncle Tom's Cabin,' alongside an essay on railways in Spain and a note on Shakespearean readings. The review praises Stowe's genius and piety while questioning the book's potential to directly end slavery, arguing instead that it successfully exposes the system's cruelty to public opinion.

Summary up to 500 words

In the October 1853 issue of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, a substantial critique is offered of Harriet Beecher Stowe's *Uncle Tom's Cabin*. The reviewers acknowledge the novel's prodigious success across all social classes in both Europe and America, attributing its emotional power to Stowe's genuine piety, maternal sympathy, and undoubted genius rather than mere artifice. They argue that while the book may not immediately abolish slavery, it effectively exposes the institution's horrors to a European audience previously unaware of them, acting like a sudden flash of light on a scene of secret crime. The review defends Stowe against accusations of exaggeration, citing her companion volume, *The Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin*, which provides documentary evidence from judicial records supporting her depictions of slave suffering. The authors praise her ability to blend tender scenes with terrifying realities, noting that her genius instinctively addresses the affections. However, they identify a minor flaw in the narrative's lack of connectedness, observing that the reader is hurried from the fortunes of Uncle Tom to those of George and Eliza Harris and their dependents, only to be abruptly dissociated from one storyline to address another. Despite these structural irregularities, the magazine concludes that the work is a significant moral instrument founded on truth. The piece urges readers to consider its impact on public opinion regarding the abolition of slavery, warning that slavery is a foul, spreading ulcer threatening the vitals of the body politic. The review asserts that attempts to discredit the novel by citing white slavery or the charms of slavery are ridiculous failures. The article further notes that Stowe has accepted the challenge to prove her representations are true, relying on the trustworthiness of a conscientious writer whose claims have withstood substantial disproof. Secondary content in the issue includes an optimistic essay on how railways are transforming Spain's economy, describing a shift from slothful indolence to active prosperity, though the authors remain skeptical of government guarantees for such projects. Additionally, a brief note resolves a dispute regarding an article on Shakespeare, accepting an apology from a correspondent and praising the manliness of the journal *Notes and Queries* for making suitable reparation for past mistakes.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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