Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-02-23
Lnrd MacaulaY.

and regard which is shared by the whole
nation, that we hesitate not to depart on
this occasion from the usage OF our journal,
and to record in these lines our sense OF so
irreparable a loss.
Others will relate, as long as literary his
tory excites the sympathy and the curiosity
Of future ages, the varied and inexhaustible
ejfts which marked out THOMAS BABINGToN
MAcAULAY from all his contemporaries
The astonishing activity of his mind had
ranged from early youth through every path
of literary research; the capacity and preci-
sion of his memory retained and arranged
for instant use every page, every thought.
every incident and every name which had
at any time attracted his attention. All he
read, all he knew,-and what had he not
read-what did he not know?-was reflected
by some spectral process on his memory,
where it remained, subject to no change bat
that of mortality. Accordingly the studies
of his earlier years, the sublime language oil
the Hebrew Scriptures, the tragic grandeur
of the Athenian stage, the eloquence ana
wisdom of the orators and historians OF an
tiouity, and even the discourses of the Chris
tan Fathers, formed the basis OF his men
tai culture, and were no less present to MS
mind than every other part OF the vast struc-
ture Of modern literature and history he
raised upon it, But whilst the universal
range of his requirements had rendered
him familiar with all that was beautiful and
elevated in the literature of other ages, and
other lands, the focus of his genius centred
in the history the language, and the litera-
ry life of England Profoundly versed IN
the story of her growth, and imbued with
the spirit of her freedom; admirably skilled
in the use of his mother-tongue, OF which II
NAV be said as Wordsworth said OF Milton,
that In his hands the thing became trum-
pet;' incredibly familiar with the writings
and the lives of every man who has lett a
trace in the letters OF this country, till ne
seemed to have the power OF recalling the
dead by the yiyacity of his own impressions
of them, Lord Macauley was essentially
English in his habits of thought and IN his
tastes. The strongest of all his feelings was
the love and pride excited in him by his ma
tive land; for he knew her and admired her.
not only as the England Of tins age, but
from the dawn of her annals 10 the iullneSs
of her strength.
In other men gifted with these extraordi-
nary powers of memory, 1t has been remark
ed that the mind is over burthened with It's
own stores, and that powers OF vigorous
thought are not unfrequentiy wanting 70
animate and control the mass Of acquired
knowledge. The intellect Of Lord Macauley
was more perfectly constituted. lie com
bined so vivid an imagination, with 50 solid
Judgment that if he had not been 2 great
historian be might have passed down to pos
terity as a great poet; and whilstthe amount
of his intellectual wealth would have over
whelmed mind of less original power
with him it remained subordinate to the ge-
MUS of the master No man was more re-
markable for the nice discrimination Of his
critical powers, or for the ingenious comblna-
tons by which he threw new and vivid light
on the course of events the play Of human
character, and the principles he lived to ad-
vocate and defend. 1t was this rare union,
which gave so wonderful a charm to his
style; every sentence was instinct with HE;
every word touched by his pen left its mark,
and the same spell which captiyated the
most accomplished Of his contemporaries,
and oyerruled the hostility Of his antago-
nists, gave him an unequaled popularity
wherever the language Of England IS under
stood or admired.
We speak of Lord Macaulay, mainly, as
man Of letters, because without doubt that
ia his chief glory and his most imperiShable
character. For although we have seen and
admired the part he sometimes filled IN polit-
ical debate, and his speeches in the House
of Commons were not unworthy Of himself,
he early discerned that he was the heir OF =
lofter fame than political services can earn,
or political distinctions confer. When called
by the lust favor Of the Crown to the august
ranks Of the British peerage, and to that
Senate which alas. he was never able 70
address, the nation felt that his coronet rest
ed upon his matchless literary emlnence and
not upon mere party connection. No peer
age conferred by Minister was ever more
cordially sanctioned By the nation, for il was
felt that the lustre thrown by his genius up
on the peerage, surpassed the distinction con-
ferred by the peerage upon himself. no
doubt Lord Macauay was strongly attached
TO his political friends, and deeply imbued
with those immortal principles which have
assigned to the Wing party SO glorious a
share in the annals and government Of this
country. But he raised those principles to
a higher power. lie gave them n broader
and more universal character. lie traced
them along the mighty streams Of history,
and he expanded them till they embraced
the noblest destinies Of man. Enshrined in
the memorable Essays which first appeared
in the pages of this journal, and embodied
in the great History, which though still in
complete, includes the most remarkable
epoch and the most formidable crisis Of Bri-
fish constitutional freedom, these truths will
be remembered in the language he gave
them, when parliamentary orators and the
contentious of statesmen are forgotten.-
Above all things his public career was sin
gularIy high-minded and pure; he was actua-
ted by no selfish motives: he diSdained every
vulgar reward; and bound by principle to
the Wing party, he never made the slight
est sacrifice Of his own judgment and indie
pendence, to the demands of popular preiu-
dice, or to the dictation Of authority.
The brilliant efforts Of accomplished rhe-
toric, the graphic scenes traced by a vivid
Imagination, the energetic defence Of politi-
cal principles, would, however, fail to secure
to Lord Macaulay that place which he de-
serves in the memory Of his countrymen, If
his prodigious intellectual powers had not
been allied to still nobler temperament
1t has been said by some, who must indeed
have known him impertectly, and Judged
him very uuwiSely, that he lacked the warm
er qualities OF the heart. Is it credible that
without the highest qualities Of the heart n