The Sun.
London, England, 1852-11-05 00:00:00

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Fore Cabin. Saloon.
To or from Gravesend and London • 10d. .. Is. 2d.
„ Gravesend and Blackwall or Woolvrich fid. .. Os. lod.
Between Gravesend and Intermediate Piers.; 6d. .. Os. bd.

,30AT TICKETS.—TweIve Months, 5i.05.; Six Months, 3/. 04 ;
T Tree Months, 21. Os.; to be had of the Colleetori on boa d tha
packets; or of Mr. Monk, Terrace Pier, Gravesend.
November, 1852.

LORD MAIDSTONE AND MR. DIACAULAY.

In another column will be found an epistle from
Lord Maidstone to Mr. Macaulay—a composition
which, considering the relative position of the par-
ties concerned, and the solemn circumstances which
usher in the impending session, may well serve to il-
lustrate that remarkable law of our nature which
generally couples the grave with the gay, the serious
with the foolish, the ridiculous with the sublime. We
are not sure, indeed, that Mr. Macaulay would not
have better suited the dignity of the occasion, as well
as his own, by suffering Lord Maidstone's hexameters,
together with their author, to sleep iu the obscurity
which properly befitted them. We can only account
for his reference to such a topic on the principle
which leads dramatists and painters to diversify their
grandest objects with a few grotesque images, in
order to set off to greater advantage the more strik-
ing characters and scenes in their compositions. Lord
Maidstone does not seem fully aware of the purely
artistical purpose for which he and his hexameters
and his late rapid conversion wereintroduced into
Mr. Macaulay's speech ; so he writes in a tone of
mingled apology and defiance, asking consideration in
one sentence, and proclaiming no quarter in another.
His Lordship is a poor complaining soul. There is
nothing light or cheery about him. He has a quarrel
with mankind, with Mr. Macaulay, with the electors
of Westminster, with Sir J. Shelley, and Gene-
ral Evans, with Sir James Graham, as he drops
out incidentally, and not the least with himself. Lord
Maidstone doubtless thinks he ought to be a states-
man, being born to that rank, and having started in
life with very fair prospects. But to be born a states-
man, without the possibility of ever being one, is
enough to sour any man's disposition. His lordship,
having in a manner forfeited his birthright, is at war
with the whole world. His hand is against every
man, and every man's hand is against him. " Be-
ware who touches me," he exclaims, as if he wished
to be touched for an opportunity of letting out what
had been long pent up in his soul. But the penalty
of touching him is not very serious, if all the damage
he can do Mr. Macaulay, with the very best inten-
tions, is to tell him he is not a sound historical autho-
rity, that he has made some mistakes, and that he
has been ungenerous to Lord Maidstone in attacking
a man who could not answer in person. Mr. Macau-
lay will not sink under these terrible accusations.
His authority is above Lord Maiestone's impeach-
, ment ; and there cannot be much cowardice in attack-
ing a man who has spent a life in collecting a vocabu-
lary of abuse, and rolling it up into hexameter pellets,
for discharge at the first assailant.
But all that Mr. Macaulay has said is, that Lord
Maidstone was'converted very suddenly from a furious
hater of Sir Robert Peel into a humble believer in
Free Trade. Lord Maidstone exclaims that his
motives are impugned, and claims the immunities of
a conscientious convert. "Duty,"" he says, "excuses
every man who changes his opinion conscientiously
from the charge of inconsistency." Why, who denied
you, my Lord, the right of changing your mind ?
Not Mr. Macaulay, or anybody that we know of, ex-
cepting yourself. You have yourself laid down in
your immortal hexameters that every one who
changes his mind is a rogue. This charitable and
most comfortable doctrine is your own, propounded
specially for the use of Sir R. Peel, but recoil-
ing on your own head. So now, like that ingenious
gentleman of Syracuse, you are roasting in your
own bull, and bellowing loudly enough to do
honours to your own workmanship. When
Lord Maidstone next addresses the populace of West-
minster, and finds them insensible to the charms of
his eloquence, he threatens to speak to them in legends,
like the figures in old windows. He need be at no
loss for the matter of these legendary scrolls. Let
him cut out of his books all the rubbish he has
written against " the apostate Peel," and exhibit it
round his own noble person as the best account he
can give for suddenly adopting Peel's measures. Per-
haps, however, something like a difference will be
necessary in applying to himself the heraldic decora-
tions he has granted to Sir Robert. Let him state,
then, in addition, that Peel was converted by a fa-
mine, and Lord Maidstone by unparalleled prosperity ;
that Lord Maidstone tried to come in as a Protec-
tionist, and, only when that failed, tried for another
place as a Free-trader ; and that the conversion cost
Sir Robert his power, but did not procure for Lord
Maidstone a seat.—Times.