Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-01-21
LORD M.CAULAY.

The Iurl brings us the announcement Of the sudden
death Of the distinguished English historian, Lord Ma
cauay lie expired on theevening of Wednesday, the
25th ut at his house, Holl Lodge, Campdeu Hill, near
London. He had been suffering since 1852 from COM
plant Of the heart; he martyr also to asthma in
it, worst form; and the UNUSUAL severity of the present
winter brought on about three weeks previous to his
de lth severe illness iromwhic he thought to have
recovered On Christmas lay he entertained his family
to dinner and he onyso far unlike himself as to be
rather silent Notwithstanding his unusual quieIness
his friends in parting with lim that night little thought
that in less than eight and forty hours he would be no
more for tbs word. On th, following Wednesday, about
eight o'clock, he died in fanting fit without the least
pain.
We give from the London papers, aud from orr own
sources brief memoir of the of this ilustrous
writer than whom it may be truly said, one has done
elevate the literary tastes of his countrymen and
add to the ceaess and terseness OF modern English
diction
Thomas Darlington Macmay born on the 25,h Of
October 1900 at Rothey Temple in Leicesershire He
was the son OF Zachary Mlcauay who has monument
in Westminster Abbey and who was well known as a
prominent member of the so-called "Cllpham Sect as
well of the phillnthrops who exerted themselves Tor
the abolition OF the slave trade The family belonged to
the Highlands of Scotland where Zachary Macaulay
father aud uncle were ministers of the Kirk. Although
Macauay could scarcely be called Scochman his rell-
gous illusions dsnctiyely Scotch those OF Sir
Walter Scott himself His father Zachary, seems to have
been a sturdy Calvnis He West India merchant,
who had early life been sent 10 Jamaica and who was
Mortified with what he there of slavery that he Tor
some years pitched his tent amid all the unheahness OF
Sierra Leone with the hope of doing good to the negroes
Ii under the influence of snch character and oil his
associates who that time held up public scorn
"the Capham Sect that Lord Macaulay was brought
up His education began at home he was then placed
under the care of Mr. Preston at sheiord, IN Gam
bridgeshire; and finally he entered at Trinity College,
Cambridge, in 1915 His career at the University was
very distinguished In his first year he gained the Chan
cellors medal for poem on "Pompei," in the second
year he carried oil the prize, for poem on Eve
ming, both OF which have been published; Immediately
aterward, he gained the second Craven Scholarship; III
1922 he took his Bachelors degree and though he did not
compete for honors owing to his dislike of mathematics,
he was elected Fellow of his college Macaulay, more
over made great figure in the Union Debating Society,
where he spent good deal OF his time.
For the four years after this good deal OF his
time was spent between London and Cambridge. where
he had Fellowship. lie took his masters degree III 1879,
and he called to the bar at lnColns Inn in 1896
But far more important to bis future prospects was the
fact that in this period he began to write. lie wrote
poetry, he wrote essays he wrote imaginary converse
tons he wrote crti9ues-he wrote IN every iorm ihese
appeared contributions to KRighfS quarterly Hdgd-
zine of which will be readily understood they formed
the principal attraction 1t was in these days he pro-
duced his ballads Of the Spanish Armada and the Battle
OF the League and Ivry Macaulay was chary OF pup
fishing his periodical writings, and it is only by digging
into The British Museum that evidences can be found oil
what he in the beginning. When fresh from Col
lege know that he had earned such reputation by
the contributors of which have spoken that he was
engaged to write article Milton for the Edinburg
ReView This appeared in August, 1925, and jeffrey
opinion Of 1t was so high that he Immediately secured
the services of the young essayst for future numbers
1t is scarcely necessary say that this famous paper on
Milton afterwards republshedby Macauay in his col
ected essays and we have ALL therefore, an opportunity
Of taking his measure young man. In republlshing
it he made few alterations, but every competent Judge
will endorse his own statement-that the criticism
Milton, which written when the author was fresh
from College, and which contains scacely para
graph such as his matured Judgment approves, still
remains overloaded with gaudy and ungraceful orna.
ment" As be advanced, however, he improved, as will
be seen in the essay on Macbisveli, which Immediately
follows that Milton, but is separated from it by an in