The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1856-04-09
IGACAULAY- THE HISTORIAN.

aJ hOlnlty IeHpIe, LelceSlerSnlre, rug
land, in the year 1900 He is, as his
name implies, of genuine Highland (and
therefore Celtic) breed Still, it is evi-
dent from his appearance, that the Saxon
blood, probably through his maternal an
cestry, outweighs the Celtic element. His
father was Zachary Macaulay, who took
prominent part in the successful move
ment against West India Slavery. Some
difficulty that Zachary had with the Soci-
ETY. of Friends, is said to be at the bottom
of Thomas's disposition to traduce the
leaders of that exemplary people.
Macanlay received his education at
Cambridge, and distinguished himself from
early youth by the b-illianey of his parts.
He won the Craven Scholarship, and, in
1922, became Fellow of Trinity-both
great distinctions. He also became con-
spicuous at the "Union' as debater,
and thus exhibited very early the various
talents which have made his success and
bis reputation We believe that the
Whig potentates were not long in seeing
his promise or encouraging it, and that
he wanted from the first none of that kind
notice which cannot indeed create genus,
but which assuredly helps TO- develope it.
His first success of decided character
in public, was the Essay on Milton" in
the Edinburgh Review" for August
1925. This exhibited all his peculiar
powers-the picturesque force, the pun
gent antithesis, which are his chief char
acteristics. He is scarcely a man of
great Imagination but he has great acute
ness and some imagination; in fact, just
the amount of brilliancy necessary to adorn
sharp common sense. He eagerly joined
in the Reform movement; and as his bent
towards politics has always been as strong
as his bent towards literature, as his abili-
ties were early ripe, and the period was
stirring and tumultuous, he got into Par
lament al thirty years of age.
After the Reform Bill, he was elected
for Leeds, which he represented from 1882
to 1884 His Indian mission marks an
epoch in his life He went to India as
one of the Commissioners for "Digesting
and Reforming the Laws of India;" his
last speech in Parliament before leaving
was on Indian affairs, ard was delivered on
July 10, 1888.
His salary, as Commissioner, was, we
believe, $4,000 a-year. Sir james
Macintosh had held an Indian appoint
ment, and meant to make money, but did
not. Macaulay meant to make money,
and did. We have heard that he lived
modestly, and went little into society there,
like prudent man. To his Indian ab-
sence we owe several essays-the Bacon,
the 'Clive,n the Warren Hastings three
of the most striking which he ever wrote.
In all three the style is equally remarka'
BILE, pungent, and exciting; but in al
three are whole passages of doctrine OF
eharacterzatiens Of persons and things
open to grave criticism and endless con-
troversy. Macaulay suppressed his Dry
den , essay, feeling, perhaps, that he hac
"wantoned in paradox" We fear the
tendency is visible in some essays not sup.
pressed. We do not attribute it to any
worse cause than the charm which his OWL
style exercises over him, as it exercise:
over every body else. We think that hi
is passionately fond of making an impress
sion, and that he sometimes unconsciously
considers, rather which view is the mos
impressive rather than which is most just
He returned from india in 1888. The
next place for which he sat was Edinburgh
for which he was returned in 1889. Ii
June of that year, he spoke in favor o
the Ballot, on Mr.. Grote's motion. He
is in favor of the Ballot, on the one
ground, that he holds it to be security
against intimidation. He consider
that intimidation has strengthened sine,
the Reform Bill. His support of the
Ballot ranks him among the more "liber
al" Wings. But he is opposed to trien
NAL Parlaments: and, though he has once
or twice, or oftener,' insisted that monar
chy and aristocracy are means, not ends,
and so on, 1913 seems to have sharpene(
his perceptions of the dangers of democra
cy, and he is no more (for practical pur
DOSCSJ d ucluOCldt lOIu DCicy
Indeed, he is consistent, steady Whig
of the old school of Grey and Holland
and if he spoke violently in his early days
it was only because those we've days 0
Z great public excitement.
Macaulay now obtained Office, and serv
ed as Secretary War from 1889 t.
1S4I. When the Wings came in agail
on the fall of Peel, he was appointe'
: Paymaster- General, which he held from
!, IlS46 to l34S. In this last year, he wa
chosen Lord Rector of Glasgow, pos
which many eminent men have held, ant
delivered an admirable historical addres
on the occasion. His rejection at Edin
burgh (IS47) excited universal disgust
and he was reelected in 1852, in a wa
which showed that Edinburgh was asham
ed of itself.
An English reviewer sums up Macaula
in one sentence as follows-"IIe is a
wonderful a man as one can be withou
being a great one"
As to his person--he is perhaps as pei