Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-01-20
Death of Macaulay.


the list of the great departed during the
memorable year of 1859; another unfn- |
ished work takes It's place beside those
glorious fragments which give melan-
choly interest TO the history of literature,
akin to that awakened by the torsos and
broken marbles of the genius of antiqui-
ty. OF the death of Baron Macaulsy,
the historian, we yet have nothing but the
bare announcement in our foreign dis
patches. We can only, therefore, run
rapidly over the leading events of the IL
lustrious life so suddenly terminated.
Thomas Babingion Macaulay was
born at Rothby Temple, Worcestershire,
in the year 1900, and was, therefore, at
his death, not quite sixty years old. His
father, Zachary Macaulay, was phi
lanthropist of remarkable energy of char
acter. The son graduated at Trinity
College, Cambridge, 1922, with great rep
utation as scholar, except in the depart
ment of mathematics. For his remarka-
bic attainments in general literature, he
had already gained the name of g Miracle
Macaulay." In 1926 he was admitted
to the bar. The same year bis celebra-
ted article on Milton, published in the
Edinburg Reviea0, discovered the true
character of his mental powers and fore
Swallowed his career. However, he went
into politics, appeared in the House of
Commons in 1880, became Secretary of
the Board of Control, figured prominent
ty in the discussions on the Reform Bill,
and won such an enviable constituency
as that of Leeds. But in 1884 he re-
signed his seat and went to India as a
member of the Supreme Council of Cal
cutta, where he remained three years.
His return to England was signalized by
his magnificent essays on Lord Give and
Warren Hastings. He again plunged
into politics, and took a conspicuous rank
. among the statesmen of the Wing Oppo-
sition. In the meantime bis literary
, labors, in prose and verse, were kept up
: and served to spread his name through
out the world of letters. When the
7 Wing party, in 1916, returned to power
: Mr.. Macaulay became Paymaster of the
Forces but an unfortunate disagree
ment between himself and his constitu
: ents, the people Of Edinburg, threw hin
/ out of Parliament in 1847. The litera
D ry public regarded the event with com
t placency, inasmuch as it determined Mr.
G Macaulay to devote himself to his grea
o work of writing the History of England
t The first two volumes appeared in 1848
and were most f1attering received. Thu
II same year he was chosen Lord Rector 0
y the University Of Glasgow. In 1852 tn
r people OF Edinburg redeemed themselve
/, in the eyes of the-world, by voluntarily
II and without any action on Mr.. Macau
Ie lays part, returning him to parliament
II where he remained till his resignation i
d 1856. The third and fourth volumes
be his history appeared in 1855. 1t ha
II been stated that two more would appea
y in the coming spring. Mr.. Macaula
was raised to the peerage under the tit
~ Baron Macaulay, in September, 1857.
w. This is not the time to estimate ii
y position which Macaulay will hold
a. history. His was versatile and, WIFI
is better, comprehensive character. Il
did many different kinds of things we
and some most admirably. As state
man he was not prominent, though h
knowledge was vast, and some of h
speeches were unusually able. 1t is ST.
ficient to say, perhaps, that his tastes
not lie in that direction. As versifi
- he accomplished all that could be dol
ed
without the distinctive genius of Il
= poet. AS it is, the yigor and rush of /
" conceptions, and his exquisite comma
= of epithets, make his Lays of Ancie
- Rome" and the Battle Ivry" more e
chanting than the hazy imaginings
much of the works of the worlds
"a knowledged poets. His merit as h
torian has been the subject of warm
On cussion. 1t will bear it, for it is positi
ont and abundant in all the features abb
all which critics differ. His knowledge
he wonderful, and yet we believe it has,
on particular points, been shown to be faul
)x- His speculations are thought not to be
profound as acute. His style is exec
ingly entertaining, and yet its antitheti
Err. brilliancy is less adapted for histori
5 at writings than for those of less pref
ow- sion. But in one respect his merit is
the contestable and that is, his success
FAD, presenting the common facts of forr
times-iust that which we wish to KIN
? but never find in histories-in their L
q relations, and with pictorial effect. Il