單士釐被認為是中國第一個評述拉奧孔的女性，在晚清的神話學史上有特殊貢獻。 日本明治維新後的學術氛圍，反映當時西方文明對日本的影響。而這樣的影響從日本折射到中國，影響到中國的神話，不只是蔣觀雲(1866-1929)，梁啟超(1873-1929)，甚至是夏曾佑(1865-1924)、王國維(1877-1929)、魯迅(1881-1936)對神話學的態度也完全是西方的，明顯地受達爾文進化論的影響。晚清學者試圖以神話啟迪人心，努力將進化論的觀點與神話的功能充分結合，希望達到救國強國的目的。 《歸潛記》書中記敘作者遊覽義大利羅馬梵蒂岡博物院，參觀觀景廳所陳列的拉奧孔、阿波羅、墨耳庫裏、柏修斯、宙斯等幾尊神話人物雕像以後的觀感。在〈章華廳四室‧拉奧孔室〉這一節裡，她從雕刻藝術、文藝學、神話學、美學、考古學等各個方面比較詳細地介紹和評論拉奧孔。本文旨在勾勒單士釐《歸潛記》中表現出的晚清知識分子沒有的眼光與視野。 單士釐沒有晚清學者經用致用的包袱，在晚清只關注經世濟民、救亡圖存的學術氛圍中，特別引人注目。筆者想從另一角度，見出單士釐神話美學的觀點與晚清其他學者的殊異，由此凸顯這位閨秀出身學者的慧眼獨具。

After the Meiji Revolution, the academic atmosphere reflected the influence of western culture on Japan. This influence in turn came to China, affecting the Chinese mythology. Jiang Guanyun (1866-1929), Liang Qichao (1873-1929), Xia Zengyou (1865-1924), Wang Guowei (1877-1929), and Lu Xun (1881-1936) all had the western perspectives of the mythology, which were apparently influenced by Darwinism. The mythological viewpoints of the traditional intellectuals can be said to express the concern of these Confucianism-followers over the country and its people. Shan Shili discussed the mythology or esthetics only from the academic perspectives. Her discussion on the sculpture of Laocoon was emphasized on Goethe's comments of Laocoon regarding the three senses of the humans confronted with pain. She stated that most of the famous art works originated from mythology, compared three accounts of Laocoon's death in Trojan War when Laocoon was killed along with his two sons by snake, and analyzed the differences and similarities among esthetic origins, model arts and poetry. Surrounded by the atmosphere of the concern over the country and its people and saving the country from the doom in late Ching Dynasty, Shan Shili stood out because of her lack of Confucianism baggage.