The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-11

following criticism Of Macauays defects as scholar and
writer
what most forciby strikes attention IN perusng the
productions OF this admired essayis is the seemingly
ooundless stores oil Information from which he draws
his Illustrations, and the perfect readiness OF every fact
he has ever Observed anecdoe he has heard read
TO come at hs bidding and hold up its lamp some side
OF his opinions Though the subject IS frequently
ecpsed by the gas-ghts with which he attempts 10 lu,
inmate IT, the reader is too intent in his admiration OF
THIS blazing brlancy TO be aware OF the fact lie 10
likewise unaware OF what is nevertheless true, that this
literary orb which shines with such dazzling edugenoe,
has many dark spot on lis suface-many wide tract
which we propose to point out our readers VIII con.
sent to look at this through the piece OF smoked glass
which offer them. We do not undertake to assert
that all the profusion OF learning that bazes through ms
pages IS only deceptive glare. for 1t is beyond All
question That he IS man OF great industry and great read
ing But his aainments are by no means so universal
as is commonly supposed, and his writings, al nrst
blush, seem to give the impression that they are Edu,
%
must take leave 10 doubt whether he is, what every
classical scholar makes it the summit OF his ambition 10
be, a thorough proficient in the Greek authors. The
manner in which ne alludes 10 these idols OF most
cultivated minds leads to suspect If not want OF ac,
quanance what seems to us less creditable want OF
appreciation Of those unrvalled models OF all that IS ex
ceent in literature In his essay Bacon he garcia
lures The divine Plato in order to set of his subject to adj
vantage by the contrast He calls henophon . drve-
ling young man" In the essay the Athenan orators
he compares Demoshenes to the mercenaIy troops which
Geece-speaks OF his oratory being "crat
and trade" and says that he despises his character
though he condescends 10 confess admiration Tor
his experiences In the essay Milton. he calls the ad
mirabe tragedies of Eurpdes "bad sermons, and lkens
Milton's admiration OF that poet who, is well KNOWN
his avoe, 10 ''the beautiful queen OF fafylan
kissing the long OF Bottom" In another essay, be
speaks OF "those inexhausble mines OF places,
the plays OF Euripides" The admiration OF the sublmes
of modern bards is perhaps sufficient yndcaon OF the
Greek poet against the singulares OF Mr. Macaulay but
cannot forbear to translate sentence two IRON the
immortal Racine, who made Euripdes his model We
quote from the preface to phigenie: confess that
to him (Eurpdes) many of the passages which have
been most approved IN my tragedy; and confess, even
voluntarily, that this appreciation has confirmed me
in the esteem and veneration which have always enter
tanned for the works of antiquity which remain TO us
have recognised with pleasure, by the effect which all
that have inflated from Homer or Eurpides has pro-
been the same in all ages The taste Of Paris found
be like that OF Athens my spectators have been moved
by the same things which formerly melted into tears the
wses people OF Greece and when have caused !, TO be
said that among the poets, Eurpdes the most tragic
that is to say, he could maveousy excite compassion
and terror which the vertabe effects OF tragedy"
Whether the first scho lars OF all ages in general and Mil
ton and Racine in particular deficient in correct taste
and sound judgment, or MIR. MacauayIs no Grecan, IS
question which. in our mind, is soon settled AS Racine
says in the preface from which we have just quoted
Such man Eurpldes at least merits an examlna-
lion before he is condemned"
Our next observation Mr. Macaulay is, that his
writings discover no acquaintance with the great meta
physical authors. He has learnt the art reasoning,
far he is of it, from the law reports and par
amenary debates, and singulary deficient for so
able man. in the power of sticking close to an argu
ment, without allowing his attention to be diverted from
the point to be proved. That steadness of intellectual
vision, that resoue exclusion of all that is extraneous
the matter hand that unbroken continuity OF thought
which powerfully binds every link in train OF argument
with what precedcs and what follows. till the premises
and conclusion bound together in an adamanne
chanthat hearty contempt for the corruscatIons OF
fancy which marks the great dalectcan, foreign
anything well be from the intellectual character of
Mr. Macauay He is TOO solicitous to shine 10 be either
very just thinker or very logical reasoned While
he abounds in striking views on every subject he under
takes to handle he one of the last writers whose opin
ions il would be safe TO take on trust.
With curiosity ardent, and literary talents SO bril-
liant, ii strikes singular that Mr. Macauay should
evince almost acquaintance with the literature OF
Germany, that land of scholars. He seems to have read
the best of the French and Italian poets and Of the
prose authors those language but though there are
one or two quotations from the German in his writings,
and perhaps two illusions II is evident that what
acquaintance he may have with the authors OF that learned
nation is Of the most superficial character. We pro-
nounce this opinion the more confidently in the case
Of writer who like MI. Macauay. keeps large share
of his stock his shop windows, than we should ven
ture to do if he little more chary OF his mental
atainments.
His acquaintance with continental politics also
very limited and superficial After he was out OF the
leading strings of the university his studies seemed 10
have been directed mostly English literature, politics,
and history and during his residence in the East, to In
dian history and poiicsor rather TO the politics and
history OF the British East India Company With two
three unimportant exceptions all that he has publish
ed since he thirty years OF age has been on English
or Indian subjects We do consider ii discredltabe
to Mr. Macauay that his studies have been confined 10
comparatively limited range OF subjects and that he has
sought thorough acquaintance with few things in
preference 10 a smatteriDg OF many but we would cor
rect the impression which bis prodgous memory and
ready command OF acquisitions have tended toprodace,
that he is man OF nearly universal learning So far
tina, matter be judged Of he is only man OF extra
ordinary talents for display.
This article is already long, but before we close
be INDUCED in brief observations pecu
arties OF the style of Macaulay, which 90 TO confirm
what have already stated in relation 10 bis want OF
acquaintance with the Greek writer's Or if they do not
prove much this they al least show that be has
been far enough from taking any pains to form his style
on those Incompatible models.
One OF these peculiartes is the rhetorical trick which
he constantly practses oil oversiaDg his positions and
arguments and inensifying The effect by endless ex
uberance OF illustration Now, the characteristic of the
Attic writers temperance OF statement and expression
which reminds OF spirited sieed held in check by
OF speed and mee behind what allowed 10 be mani
tested.
In writers OF the very highest class there is WON
defu cearness and exactness OF conception, combined
with the power OF creating precise and fiji expression,
that they convey once and the first trial, the very
around and around their subject, trying form OF
preston and then the other. only because they lack the
SIX i'll hit the mark the first shot and their simple and
admirng readers praise that auepce of words and Illus
aion with which they strive TO help The ndistincness
OF their conceptions.
ton and disposition and confsses by multitude of de-
tails and particulars though they form part OF his sub
iect but we sometimes weak enough 10 admire him
who instead OF giving clear picture OF his subject
oonfuses and bewders us by making a support on
which he hangs store OF fine pictures of other things
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