The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-12-24

every principle OF any value which he advo-
catod. yet he never mentions ono OF thcm-cx-
cept Sismondi-without q snccr. Ho took ms
lttlo notice OF the labors OF his own coun-
trymcn Palgravo and Kcmble as he did
| of tho labors OF foreigners Ho not only did
nothing for historical criticism. but he scarce
~ seems to have been aware OF its existence.
For his own part. he investigated no obscure
questions, cleared up no difficulties. reversed
| the opinion of scholars upon no important
| point. Tho only modern historians to whom he
| pays respectful attention arc Ranko and Hal
lam. and this apparently because they fur
nshed him with n convenient armory for his
own polemcal purposes. Mr. Morrison submits
that IL Macauay had felt any wide. generous.
| sincere interest In the progress OF historical
knowledge. he must have shown more sympa-
thy with men engaged in the same field Of labor
"a himself; no could not havo boon Indifferent
to what other mon were doing. In view Of his
strangely contracted sympathios. the inference
seems unavoidable that he cared for little be-
| sides his own success rs an historical artist.
Tho present biographer considers Macaulay's
want Of ethical dopth not q whit less notice.
able than his lack Of intellectual breadth
and profundity. He can find trace in
him OF tho penetrative insight into the
moral world for which Carlyle and
| Michclet are conspcuous-no indication OF
tho wise spirit which has had practical
| experience of the solemn realities and truths
| OF existence. lie never has anything to say on
| the deeper aspects and relations OF life; his
unsrirituaty is completes: YOU mover in his
| numerous portraits como upon limo OF moral
suggestivoness showing an eye for the deeper
| springs of character and finer shades of mo-
tive. There is no romance. pathos. or ideality
In his writings; and why should we look for
| such things. seeing that his own Wow of life
was essentially flat and prosaic? In brief his
| learning was confined to book lore he was not
well read in tho human heart. and we can
therefore easily understand tho inability to
criticise works of poetry and Of fiction of which
he himself was conscious From tho ethical
point Of view tho whole case against him is
summed up in tho admirable analogy-wc
know not whether it is original with Mr. MORT
son-in accordance with which Macaulay is
called the Rubens OF literature.
Descending from n measurement OF Ma
caulay's intellectual furniture and spiritual out
look to his method of oppression Mr. Morrison
reminds us that his style. which was once so
highly landed. is now freely decsed. 1t re-
mains. perhaps. the best conceivable model for
newspaper writing. because il is the first busi-
ness of II journalist to make himself under
stood by the dullcst and least cultured Of his
readers and then to interest more eNacting
audience If he can. 1t has been observed that.
rs regards tho matter to be expressed. he es-
chewcd high thought on the one hand. and
deep feeling the other marching COM
placcntly down middle road Of resonant COM
monplace. In the manipulation of his diction
he cvinces equal zeal in gausinE the popular
taste. being. indeed. SO studous to avoid hyper
| reiinments that he drops now and then into
| coarseness and crudity OF language. Sen
fences in which the needless emphasis
of the words does but disclose more
| plainly the deficient weight and dig
nifty Of thought arc of frequent occurrence. 1t
is also undeniablc that his paragraphs are
often built up by succession of tiers. one over
the other; they do not grow from central root
Of thought or sentiment. Sentences not ex-
ceeding a limo in average length are held to-
! gcther only by the art of the typographer.
Again, we are continually reminded of the beat
of a piston rod by the mechanically regular
stroke of his periods. The monotony Of rhythm
is sometimes reinforced by the monotony Of
phrase sentence after sentence beginning
with the same words. This rciteration of tho
7o,iv ~vru - II tuni..-- ...:ras in defamation.
but Macauay could never overcome tendency
| to euri-r II Ill ar.l.~ OF ao,ur--i.'.- s~-
which IL is unfit Indeed all the bemishcs
and merits VI Macaulay's dcton are compen-
diousy described by Mr.. Morrison. when it is
remarked that he had the secret OF transposing
his matter from the language Of copious and
fluent oratory which seems their proper vehi-
Gle. to the language OF written prose without
loss of the specific oratorical effect He can.
accordingly. be read with q good deal OF the
pleasurable excitement which the mass of men
feel in listening to facile and voluble discourse.
Tho best feature of the Essays was according
to the biographer the originality Of form and
treatment which their author gave to this
species OF composition. He considers that
Macaulay may almost DO said to have invented
| n Of iSto lypn mt in tha NJ
which Is to take bright period or parsonage
Of history. to frame it in firm outline to con-
| ceive 1t In article size. and then to I'll in this
limited canvas with sparkling ancclotc. telling
bits Of color. and facts. all fused together BY a
real genius for narrative Slight, or even triv-
ia rs are Macaulay's essays in the field Of his
| torical erudition and critical inquiry, Mr. Nor
ison admits that they are masterpieces If re-
gardcd in the unambitious light Of great popu-
lar cartoons on subjects taken from modern
history. These brilliant papers Mr. Morrison
finds it convenient to classify in four groups.
| according as they relate to English history,
| foreign history or TO controversial or miscel-
laneous subjects. Among the best in the first
category he would place tho two articles on tho
elder Pitt ton which the author be-
slowed an unusual amount Of work.,
| those on Hallam's Constitutional History and
Sir william Temple. and those on Clivc and
his Times s pronounced tho weakest of its
class. that on Mack intosh undcsorvng OF re-
mark, and that on Walpole curiously unjust.
sccng that Walpole's intellect was in many
ways more penetrating that Macauay's own.
| The five articles belonging TO the second class
| ara dismissed with good deal of disdain with
| tho exception OF the essay on Rankcs History
Of the Popcs. which Is discussed at some
! icngth because it strikngy reveals tho do
| ilcicncies OF Macaulay's attainmcuts aud tho
| weak points in his intellect In the controver-
| sial group Mr.. Morrison can find nothing wor-
| thy to survive. with tho possible exception OF
tho paper on Southey. which contains an Of
| fcctivc reference to Burke. The essays on By
| ron. Dryden and Mont.Dmcry in tho critical
| or miscellaneous class, were doubtless in Ma
| caulay's mind when he owned that ho had
| never written n page OF criticism on poetry
| which he did not dosiro to burn. In reviewing
| the r'icle on Johnson. We arc called upon to
note Macaulays total failure TO appreciate
. At, I'm,