The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 18, No. 106, August, 1866 / A Magazine of Literature, Science, Art, and Politics

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

23040

Title

The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 18, No. 106, August, 1866 / A Magazine of Literature, Science, Art, and Politics

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This August 1866 issue of The Atlantic Monthly presents a diverse collection of literature, science, and politics. Highlights include a groundbreaking article on reeling silk from spiders, reflective nature essays by Henry David Thoreau, poignant accounts of Civil War hospital life, and reviews of contemporary poetry and frontier histories. The volume offers a rich tapestry of American thought and observation.

Summary up to 500 words

The August 1866 issue of The Atlantic Monthly opens with a groundbreaking scientific observation by an officer stationed in South Carolina, detailing a novel method for harvesting silk directly from the Nephila plumipes spider. Discovered on Folly Island, this species features a striking sexual dimorphism where the female is significantly larger than the male, who serves merely as a partner. The author describes reeling thousands of yards of brilliant fiber directly from the living insect, a process that offers potential economic benefits to the nation and serves as a symbol of reconciliation with the South. The issue also presents a series of nature essays, likely by Henry David Thoreau, which capture the atmospheric shifts of late summer in Concord. These passages reflect on the abundance of autumn fruit, the melancholy of heavy rains, and the resilience of nature against gloomy weather. The author finds solace in simple pleasures like fishing and gathering windfalls, emphasizing a deep connection to the land and a philosophical acceptance of Providence's bounty. Turning to current events, the magazine reviews William Howell Reed's "Hospital Life in the Army of the Potomac," a narrative celebrating the heroism and patience of the Sanitary Commission's nurses and soldiers during the Civil War. The review praises the book for its graphic depiction of suffering and its uplifting Christian lessons, highlighting the organization's unfailing charity. Other reviews cover Walter Simpson's controversial history of the Gypsies, various poetry collections, and Colonel R. B. Marcy's memoirs of frontier life, which blend adventure with shrewd observation of Indian nature. Additionally, a critique of Joseph von Eichendorff's "Memoirs of a Good-for-Nothing" notes the loss of original wit in the translation. The volume concludes with a philosophical musing on the fleeting nature of books and Nature's indifference to individual literary fame, contrasting the survival of some works with the extinction of species like the dodo.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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• Periodicals