New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-11

especially their hospitality. He did not choose 20
eat salt with a man for whom he cOuid
not say a good word in all companies. lie
was true throughout life to those who had once ac-
quired his regard. lie always ready to place MS
purse his influence, and his talents at tLe dlslosu
Of friend. He never known TO take paft III
any family quarrel or personal broi OF any klhd.
He had 10 mercy for bad writers, especially iOr pu
poets unless they were in want OF money, ana lheh
he became the most open-handed of patrons When
Macauay went to college, ne had no idea tlat ne
should have to work for his bread. HIS father oe-
Iieved himself TO be in aflluent circumstances. but
his prosperity was not of long duration. While
waiting for fellowship at the university, the son
was glad to make hundred guineas by taking Pu-
ps and at a later period the family became greatly
dependent upon him for support. He was warmly at
tached to all his nearest relations but for his younger
sisters Margaret and Hannah (named after Hannah
More and afterward Lady Trevelyan he the
most ardent affection The house the scene OF
exuberant eayety in spite of the Purtanic tendon
cies of Macaulays father Even when without
company the rooms full of young people and
friends and cousins loved to flock to resort where
so much merriment wds always going on. during
the school-holidays the house overlooked with noise
and frolic. Macaulay, who liked nothing better than
playing with children, master of the revels.
Games of hde-and seek which lasted for hours, with
shouting and blowing Of horns up and down the
stairs and through every room, were varied by pal
lads which he composed during the act of recita-
tion while the others struck i'll with the chorus lie
had notion whatever OF music, but an InfaillDie
ear for rhythm. Hisknack ofmprovisatlon he always
exercised freely. He did not play upon words as
habit nor did he interard his talk with forced wit
but when alone with his sisters, and afterward with
Il; m hp
and execrable but always laughable, which fell III
showers from his lips, like sparks from the flint.
In 1888 Macaulay was offered a seat i'll the SUI
preme Council of India, which after great dclibera-
ton, he decided TO accept His statement OF the
case in letter to his favorte sister inviting her to
accompany him to India, affords curious illus;ra-
ton of his character and of his plans and purposes
in life. "The advantages" he begins with saying
are very great Ii is post of the highest dignity
and consideration. The salary is ten thousand
pounds year. | am assured by persons who know
Calcutta intimately, and who have themselves
mixed IN the highest circles and held the highest
offices at that presidency that may live i'll splendor
there for five Thousand year and may save the rest
of the salary with the accruing interest may
therefore hope to return to England at only thirty
nine the full vgor of life, witha fortune OF thirty
thousand pounds. A larger fortune never desired
it, But though every day makes me less
eager for wealth, every day shows me moro and
more strongly how necessary competence is to man
who desires to be either great useful He goes
on to say that he can continue to be n pubic man
only while he can continue in office. " IL l left my
place in the Government, | must leave my seat III
Parliament too. For must live; can live only by
my pen; and ii is absolutely impossible for any man
to write enough to procure him decent subsistence
and at the same time 10 take active part in
politics Now in order 10 live like gentle
man. II would be necessary for me to write, not as
have done hitherto. but regularly, and even daily.
| have never made more than two hum
bred year by my pen. / could not sup
port myself on less than five hundred, and shall
in all probability have many others TO support. The
prospects of our family are If possible darker than
ever. In England / see nothing before me for
some time to come, but poverty, unpopularity, aud
the breaking up of old connections. II there were
no way out of these difficulties would encounter
them with courage. man can always act honor
ably and uprightly and If were in the Fleet Prison
or the rules of the Kings Bench believe that
could find in my own mind resources which would
preserve me from beng positively unhappy. But If
could escape from these impending disasters should
wish to do So" Among other reasons which he sus-
gests for accepting the post, he says: Meantime
shall save my family from distress and shall return
with a competence honestly earned, as rich ms
if | were Duke Of Northumberland or Marquis
of Westminster, and able to act all public ques-
tions without even temptation to devate from the
strict line of duty" He now approaches the ques-
ton of such vital interest both to his sister and HIM
self: whether the period of my exile shall be
of comfort and, after the first shock, even of happ
ness, depends on you. If as expect this offer shall
lrunt hat
a sacrifice ask of You. l know how many dear and
precious ties you must for time sundor. i know
that the spendor of the Indian Court, and the gay
cites of that brilliant society of which you would be
one of the leading personages, have no temptation
for YOU can bride you only by telling you that, If
YOU will 20 with NE, viii love you better than
love you now, if l can" The plan was finally ar
ranged in accordance with the wishes of Alacaulay
and accompanied by his sister, he sailed for India
in the Spring of 1884.
During his residence in tho East. while largely
cuped with urgent official duties, he did not inter
nit his devotion to literary pursuits. Through the
whole of the voyage, he read with keen enjoyment,
devourng Greek, Latin, Spanish, Italian, French,
and English. Among the books were the Had "
and Odyssey" Virgil, Horace, Caesars "Commen-
taries =" Bacon's De Augmentis," Dante, Petrarch,
AIiosto, Tasso, "Don Quixote," all the seventy VOL
uInes Of Voltaire Gibbons Roman Empire MiPs
India" Sismondi's History OF France" and the
seven thick folios of the Bographia britannica"
During the first year of his residence in India, he
read AIschylus twice, Sophocles twice. Euripides
once, Pindar twice, Callimachus, Apollonius Rho
dus. TheOcritus, HerodOtus, Thucydides, Aristotle,
and Plutarch, besides an appalling amount Of Latin
poetry and history.
The volume closes on the eve Of Macaulays de-
parture from India, December, 1897, leaving the
reader in an impatient state Of mind for the sequel
the work The correspofdence which Ills 80 large