Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-10-07
BIOGRAPHY.
. Thomas Babtngton 1faoau,av.

This noted historian was the son of
zachery Macaglay, a West India mer-
chant and wonderful philanthropist
HIS grandfather was Sir John Macaulay,
a Presbyterian minister of West Scot
land. Young Macaulay was born m the
year 1900, educated at Trinity, Cam
bridge, where he acquired reputation
as scholar and debater, and twice won
the Chancellor's medal, first, by his
poem " Pompeii," second, Evening""
He was elected Fellow Of Trinity and
devoted himself to literature, becoming
contributor to Knights Quarterly
Magazine. In 1926 he made his ap-
pearance in the Edinburgh Review in his
famous essay on Milton, production so
learned, enthusiastic, and brilliant that
it captivated the whole reading world.
and placed him in the first ranks OF es-
sayists In 1926 he was called to the bar
but never practiced the profession.
About this time he was elected to Par
lament, for which he repaid his constit-
uents by setting forth their doctrine in
manner SO luminous, powerful and at
tractiye that his adyersaries were
charmed, and convinced if they were
not convicted.
In 1886 he went to India and spent
some time in the preparation Of q new
penal code, but was not very successful.
On his return he was reelected to Par
lament. AS a statesman he was the
implicit friend Of freedom, both civil and
religious. He eloquently sustained the
Roman Catholic bill for the relief OF
Catholics, and in consequence was un-
seated, but five years thereafter was
ro-olected without effort on his part. In
1913 he published tho first two volumes
of his woAd-renowned "History of En-
gland" finest history, too, ever
written by ancient or modern writer. 1t
was received with an enthusiastic popu-
larity which hos been attained by very
few OF the great tnovelists.
When he published in 1850 his two
last volumes they created such excite
ment in Paternoster row as had never
/
been seen before. Shortly after he was
elected a member of the French Academy
of Moral and Political Science, and was
raised to the peerago III England under
the title of Baron Mac aulay. HI
died in 1859, at Holly Lodge, near Lon
don. He was man of superlative tai
ent, thorough scholarship, and his no
cumulated knowledge was prodigious
His knowledge of modern Europa ant
especially English history from the time
Of Henry VIII. was unsurpassed. Hi
style is pure, luminous and exquisitel,
modulated, or musical, while his power
of description were such that his His
tory If England might be compared Il
the cartoons of Raphael in the Sistin'
Chapel of Rome.
Allison said, "After a review of th,
chief characteristics of Lord Jeoffrey
Mcintosh and Smith, we find MOcaulay'
turn of mind and style peculiar, and ex
hibit combination rarely. if ever, ex
hibited in ancient or modern literature
Unlike Jeoffrey, he is deeply learned il
lore-ancient and modern. His min,
is richly stored with the poetry and his
tory, both of classical and continentl
literature. Unlike Mcintosh, he is EN-
nently dramatic and pictorial. He a
ternately speaks poetry to the soul an
paints pictures to the eyes. Unlik
Smith, he has omitted subjects of part
contention and party interests, an
grapples with great questions and i'm
mortal names, which will forever attrac
the interest and demand the attention {
such men as Milton, Bacon an
Machiavelli The grand characteristic
of his style is the shortness of his sci
tences. He often conveys several idef
in one line"