At the dawn of the 19th century, on October 25, 1800, a baby boy was born on St Crispin’s Day inLeicestershire.
It was the union of a Bristol bookseller’s daughter with a prosperous, decent and evangelical Scottish merchant that resulted in the would be poet, essayist and historian. The eldest child among nine was christened Thomas Babington, after the uncle in whose house he was born. He was soon taken to London, where his father served as secretary of the Sierra Leone Company. He was an ardent philanthropist who fought against slavery. Zachary shifted his family to Clapham, then famous as a residence of the people who had sworn to rid mankind of its greatest curse.
Childhood
Tom, as he was called in his childhood, formed his first impression of the world at Clapham. Reading was his prime interest from early childhood. He devoured book after book and yet was unable to satisfy his voracious appetite. Everything printed happened to be his food. By four, he had finished with works of piety, some 18th century novels, and poetry. He weaved the literary language into his mundane talks.
Taking Pen for Fun
Tom was a frail, light haired, fiercely and impetuously eager child who spent most of his childhood reading or running across the hillocks of Mount Sinai and Clapham Alps with his playmates – Wilberforce, Grants, Thronstons and Stephens. He began writing at eight and his first composition was a compendium of universal history – a paper to convert the people of Travancore to Christianity, and a poem Battle of Cheviot in the style of his favorite poet, Sir Walter Scott. Tom also came up with many evangelical hymns, which he would compose at breakfast.
Hannah More, his mother’s old teacher was always in search of prodigious children, whom she could guide and Tom was one of them who pleased her. She guided him to develop taste and gave him books to create his own library. She also paid attention to his frail health and every summer she took him to Barley Wood. Tom enjoyed the place and company of his hostess. Hannah More gave carte blanche to Tom either to walk on the islands or listen to garrulous Somerset’s cottagers or preach sermons to Hannah herself. This all helped him be the ‘Macaulay’, who was not easily influenced and always had his thoughts.
School Days
At 12, Tom was sent to a private school at Little Shelford. Its master Preston, a scholar from Cambridge, always talked of his love – classics. This ignited his yearning for the classics and soon he was devouring whatever came his way.
Books became synonymous to him. At home in holidays, he talked of books and always delved in Plato and Aristotle. Zachary disliked Tom being a perpetual reader. His unchristian manners like keeping his hair unbrushed and engaging in a loud and intense argument were irritating to the clergyman. Being a school going kid he had to hold back his love for books and this annoyed him a lot.
At Cambridge
Tom was free from the restraining atmosphere when he enrolled at Cambridge. The Anthenian freedom of Trinity gave him enough liberty to read all day and argue all night. Such schedule was reflected in his report cards. It took two trials for him to clear the Mathematics mysteries but he was brilliant in other subjects. He received the chancellor’s medal twice and in 1821 he got the Craven Scholarship. At 23, the Trinity Fellowship was added to this string. This meant, if he remained a bachelor he would get £300, a stable for his house and six dozen audit ale every year for seven consequent years.
While still at Cambridge, he produced his first essay on politics. This was a great surprise to the Tory family as he spoke and wrote against the Tories.
Responsible Tom
By the time the eldest Macaulay came out of Cambridge the hardships had begun. Zachary had lost most of his fortune and Tom had inherited Zachary’s debts.
Tom started to coach pupils and defrayed for his living. The financial stringency brought the family closer. These were the intense years of happiness for his youngest sisters Hannah and Margaret. Every afternoon, he would take them on long walks or tell them tales. Their evenings passed discussing various absurd novels. All the three had a common passion for books and had great a time together.
Observing Macaulay, it seemed that there was little room for other loves. Though there was a faint shadow that revealed Macaulay was attracted towards a young lady at Rothley, where the Trevelyan family spent summer vacations. It is believed that because of the Fellowship (that was provisional if he remained Bachelor) he let the affair remain platonic.
Lawyer
The fellowship meant a lot to him as his family was getting more and more dependant on him. To contribute enough and meet the expenses Macaulay turned towards law. He was called at the Bar in 1826. His first speech got an excellent reception at an anti-slavery meet and it seemed that he would flourish well in this new field. Though he had much confidence, only few briefs came his way. After years, his only triumph was that of the conviction of a boy for stealing a parcel of cocks and hens.
Macaulay, impetuous from childhood was soon discouraged by the drudgery of study of law and started devoting more and more time to literature.
Lawyer to Litterateur
Tom knew by now what he wanted to do in life. Jeffrey, the editor of Edinburgh Review, the famous journal in Great Britain was on the lookout for fresh talent. His hunt ended when he came across some writing in Knight’s Quarterly Magazine. Jeffrey picked up Macaulay, and thus he got the first opportunity to present a historical essay. It was a review of the newly discovered manuscript of Milton in Latin. It was full of flamboyance, something very novel and crisp, which took the fancy of the post-war generation.
Literary Man
This essay proved to be the turning point in the young lawyer’s life, who woke up one morning to find himself famous. He was invited to parties and for dinners. He held the image well, though at time his impetuous manner of sharing generated good humor. "What do I owe you", he asked on a visit to the barber. "Oh, Sir," said the latter, "Whatever you usually give the person who shaves you." "In that case," replied Macaulay, "I should give you a great gash on each cheek."
The famous Macaulay for society, was playing two roles at home. One, who consoled his old father and, second who contributed to the family finance.
First Historic Piece
Between his personal and public life he came up with his first serious historical study, a review of Hallam’s Constitutional History. But these early essays had blunders of facts and judgment, and it distorted English history.
Macaulay’s work was appreciated and the people who had no strong views about persons and events of the past, listened open-mouthed. Macaulay didn’t consider this historical work to be his life’s object. Rather, his essay on Hallam showed his thoughts turning to the political struggle of his time. "…We seem to perceive the signs of unquiet times, the vague presentiment of something great and strange which pervades the community … who have everything to gain, the dimly hinted foreboding of those who have everything to lose."
Great Orator
It was the time of the Tory dominance and the Whigs’ identification with the middle classes, who were losing everything. Macaulay voiced the opinion of his generation and his advocacy was much popular as it revealed the instinctive prejudice of the English middle class and it was because of his pen the Whigs got recognition.
Macaulay, ironically, got the first official tribute from Tory Chancellor, Lord Lynahuist who made him a Commissioner of Bankruptcy in 1829. This post helped him financially by £400 per year. With this fellowship and few earnings of his pen the total yearly emoluments came up to £900.
Political Career
The bud was yet to blossom and soon his political career got a sudden lift when in February 1830, he received a letter from Whig magnet, Lord Lansdowne offering him pocket–borough of Calne. Macaulay entered the House of Commons and made his maiden speech on April 5, 1830. But it was not before March 1, 1831, when he was recognized as a parliamentarian by his speech. Lord John Russell presented the Reform Bill and gave a speech, which reflected vehemence of his thoughts. The appeal was so strong that "Portions of that speech", said the leader of his foes, Sir Robert Peel, "were as beautiful as anything I ever heard or read." The passing of Reform Act in parliament and his eloquent support for the cause gave him the image of a great parliamentary orator. The Reform Act 1832, established him as a leading figure.
His contacts with various personalities increased his knowledge and judgment of men. It also formed the base for a future historian. The political reputation brought him a well-off public life. He was a man in demand in high Whig society.
Eighteen Thirty One showed Macaulay’s financial anxiety. His fellowship ended and so he was deprived of the seat, which was among the pocket–boroughs. But soon his salvation came when he was re-elected by the new middle class constituency of Leeds. In 1832, he was appointed the Commissioner of Board of Control, the official body to enforce the will of the English Government on the directors of the East India Company.
Meanwhile, a Slavery Bill was presented in parliament and voting ‘for the bill’ would hurt the feelings of old Zachary who had spent his life for the abolishment of slavery. But being a member of the ruling party, Macaulay had to give his vote for the party. After a great dilemma Macaulay gave in his resignation and spoke against the Bill. The House decided not to accept his resignation and reduced the compulsory ‘apprenticeship’ for Negro slaves from 12 to 7 years. This concession satisfied Zachary and saved his son’s career.
Finance – A Priority
Regaining his office didn’t help much to gain finance and his family’s dependency on him had increased. This prompted him to accept the post of new Supreme Council of India, which would earn him a handsome remuneration of £10,000 per annum. This would of course force him to leave his literature world of England. Macaulay wanted his sister Hannah to accompany him to India, whom he loved so much that he wrote, "I can bribe you… if you will go with me, I will love you better than I love you now, if I can". Hannah touched by this sentiment could not deny it.
Accompanied by Hannah, Macaulay sailed from Gravesent towards Asia on February 15, 1934. The traveler carried with him, apart from other basics, his key necessity – a vast number of books. He read insatiably on voyage. In the cabin he devoured – Greek, Latin, Spanish, French, and English books. He read the Iliad and Odyssey, Virgil, Horace, Caesar’s commentaries, Bacon de Augmentis, Dante, Petrarch, Ariosto, Tasso, Don Quixote, Gibbon’s Rome, Mill’s India, all the 70 volumes of Voltaire, Sismondi’s History of France and the seven thick folios of the Biographia Britannica.
Dark faces with white turbans and flowing robes, trees not our trees, … and the architect as strange as the vegetation. This was the first impression of Macaulay of a totally strange country, India, when the ship anchored on June 10, at Madras.
Parting With Hannah
A young civilian named Trevelyan came in contact with Macaulay and soon Hannah started getting attracted to Trevelyan.
Macaulay, who had been deeply attached to Hannah, found it hard to digest his sister giving attention to someone else. Macaulay wrote a long and passionate letter to Margaret in which he poured his grief. It said, "I have known exile but I never knew unhappiness before…so here you have my heart in all its inconsistency and weakness." But before the letter reached its destination, Margaret was in her grave. He lost Margaret forever and Hannah also deserted him – marrying Trevelyan.
Administrator – In India
To Macaulay, for whom Hannah’s separation was unbearable, it seemed that Margaret’s death would mince him. Macaulay, far away from home submerged himself in work, which was the only solvent for his grief.
He diverted all his energies in liberalizing the administration. The first thing he took over was inaugurating a national system of education. Macaulay was of the opinion that the Orient education was nothing but the metaphysics of Locke and English is the language and key to vast intellectual wealth, which the wisest nations of the world have created. He became the first Director of European Education for India. With only £3,000 to his resource for the purpose, he started making English essential and spread it by different means.
The next important thing he did was to appoint a Commission to inquire into the jurisdiction of British India. He became the president and his enthusiastic labor of three years bore fruit – ‘The Indian Criminal Code’. The code was framed with two basic principles – that of suppressing crime with least suffering and ascertaining truth with smallest cost. Though compilation was done in 1837, it came into operation in 1862. It has since become an essential part of the heritage of British India policy.
Three and Half Years of Solitary Confinement
The three and half years of Macaulay in India gave him exposure to the art of administration and its difficulties, which was of greater help to this ‘to be historian’. The other activity, which consumed his time during his stay in India, was books.
He rose at five and read for several hours before breakfast, then spent little time with Hannah’s baby daughter, feeding the crows and showing her pictures. He then turned to the day’s work and his evenings mostly happened to be a long drive on the starlit bank of Hooghly.
Apart from his exile, as he used to call his stay in India, his days passed with reading Greek and Latin literature. He had a remarkable catalogue of his daily reading. In the early hours he read three books of Herodotus and four plays of Aeschylus. He had a habit to read with a pencil in hand and mark the date of his reading and his comments on the author and subject. Apart from this he also mastered various languages like French, Italian, Spanish and German.
He also managed to contribute occasionally to the Edinburgh. This time his contribution had a condition attached to it and it was that Napier, the editor, would not pay him in pecuniary but in books. Between his arrival in India and departure, besides preparing for the biography of Lord Clive and Lord Hastings, he found time to write the review of Mackintosh’s History of the Revolution and the essay on Bacon.
Mission Accomplished
The short span from 1834 to 1838 had fulfilled his mission to India, to earn and save reasonably well, which would enable him to return to England as an independent man. An event took place, which hastened his move back to England. Uncle Macaulay died leaving him a legacy of £10,000. With this fortune his savings accumulated to £30,000 which was sufficient for his and his family’s needs.
New England
Thinking the sum to be enough, Macaulay booked his passage to England in December 1837. After a long and uneventful voyage when Macaulay returned home, his father Zachary had died. The England, which he had left few years ago, had changed and Victorian era was to start as the nation was preparing for her crowning ceremony. The new atmosphere made him feel too aloof.
During this period, a project was shaping in his mind that he would not devote his career writing on Milton and Johnson and neither would endure the forswearing parliamentary ambition, but would devote his time to other more enduring labor.
Re-entering House of Commons
Macaulay resolved to write the history of his own nation. It was on March 9, 1839, during the intervals of preparing an essay on Clive, that he penned down the first lines of his History.
Macaulay had thought that he had overcome all the desire to become a parliamentarian but on his return to London after a short travel to Italy, at every landmark his earlier ambitions were recalled and it weakened his resolution. The Whigs were facing troubles with the growing power of the Tories. Macaulay considered his loyal duty to render his services when his party was in utmost need.
After a break of six years, in June 1839, he entered the House of Commons as a Liberal member from Edinburgh. Soon he joined as Secretary at war and laid aside his History for this political life.
The new office was not burdensome and his administrative skills had improved a lot after his stay in India. His patriotism was making a mark in politics and he was gaining popularity as a parliamentarian in his second term. The inefficiency of the Whig government made the party to quit the office and tenure of Macaulay’s comeback ended in 1840. His work in a year’s span regained him his seat from Edinburgh but on a wider picture the Tories held the power.
THOMAS B MACAULAY
Thomas Babington Macaulay is best known for his History of England, which covers the period between 1688-1702. Macaulay preserved the past for the future. The history he wrote has proved to be the balustrade for the archeologists to excavate the history.
Macaulay, who also excelled with pen, mesmerized the masses with his speeches. The Reform Act of 1832 is said to have cleared the house barriers mostly because of his eloquent speeches. In India, he proved to be a reformist as an administrator. His pioneering efforts to promote English language in the Orient as well as framing the law code, which later became the basis of Indian Criminal Law was appreciated by one and all.
Macaulay used the few remains of the lost Ballads and created his immensely popular Lays of Ancient Rome. His love for books and family never allowed him to marry, he spent his last moments of his life in his library, amidst the books he loved all his life.
• October 25, 1800
Born at Rothley Temple Leicestershire, England.
• 1807
Macaulay’s first creation – Battle of Cheviot
• 1818
Entered Trinity College, Cambridge.
• 1824
Essays of Macaulay published in Knight’s Quarterly Review.
• 1826
Called to the Bar.
• 1829
Became Commissioner of Bankruptcy.
• 1830
Macaulay elected to the British Parliament.
• April 5, 1830
Gave his maiden speech in Parliament.
• 1834-38
Became member of Supreme Council in India.
• 1839
Macaulay elected to Parliament as a member for Edinburgh constituency.
• 1842
Published Lays of Ancient Rome.
• 1843
Essays III volume published.
• 1847
Lost seat in parliamentary elections.
• 1848
First two volumes of History of England published.
• 1849
Lord Rector of University of Glasgow.
• 1852
Reelected to Parliament for Edinburgh constituency as honorary member.
• 1855
Published History of England (Volume III-IV).
• 1856
Resigned from Parliament.
• 1857
Made Baron Macaulay of Rothley.
• December 28, 1859
Died and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
• 1861
History of England (Volume V) published.
Manipulating History
The flaws, anomalies and illusions, sometimes also led to great controversies against the muse of history. At times in the History of England, he had written about things, which he did not believe. It was wrong to tell of Kirke a foul and horrible story when he well knew that it would double the prejudice against Kirke. The artistry master used his art to direct the history where readers would believe that William was responsible for the cold-blooded massacre of Glencoe. It was also consciously dishonest to strengthen the charges against Marlborough, which he himself found to be hopeless.
But above all, he had written about the history he differed in two ways. He did not present the pieces of past but described the great world of past. Macaulay redefined the history writing by making the past – a readable story than just mere accumulation of isolated facts. Macaulay spared no pains to achieve the lucidity. "What trouble these few pages have cost me", he wrote, "the great object is that, after all this trouble, they may read it as if they had been spoken and flow as easily as table-talk."
Publishing History
Macaulay finished with the first part of the great work and by the end of 1848, published it. Historian Macaulay was waiting for the response towards his History – presented in a unique form.
"I have armed myself with all my philosophy in the event of a failure." The work was a great success and the book sale created history as before the day of publication, 3,000 copies were already sold out. Immediately, a new edition was brought out and by the end of January, 13,000 copies were printed and by May the book had reached its fifth edition.
The work received applause and appreciation from all parts. The Yorkshire folks thanked him for writing a book which working men could understand. The success across the Atlantic was enormous though he could get no penny as per the law. The sale in American by the end of that year exceeded 2,00,000 copies.
Glorious Years
Few formal honors also came along and in March 1849, he was made Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow. In January 1850, he was elected as a Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn, which pleased and amused the historian. He was invited at Buckingham Palace for dinner. Everywhere he was hailed as the master educator of his age.
Success did not go into his head and it had not changed the humble Macaulay. The only visible change was pouring in of royalties through new editions, which added to his already rising fortune. Though he never had any debts, his generosity attracted strangers for some help. "I got a letter from," is one typical entry in his journals, "One who in his great distress about his son’s debt I am vexed and sorry, but I was pleased that I made this offer from the heart and with the wish to have it accepted." But few undue claimers started begging for generosity and Macaulay detached himself from them.
One real joy that Macaulay got from these royalties was that he was able to extend help to his two unmarried sisters, Fanny and Selina, who were in part dependent on him and were living at Brighton where he visited frequently. When the Whigs returned to power, he was offered the seat but he refused, as he didn’t want to spend his life without pen. But when he was asked to hold the seat on honorary basis, he accepted it. He entered the Parliament in most singular fashion in 1852.
Last Decade
My birthday, I am 50. Well, I have had a happy life…I wish that next ten years may be as happy as the last 10. Macaulay wrote this in his journals on October 25, 1850. All the hard works of the past led to deterioration in his health. He felt feeble and had started doubting his life span.
The first few signs of change were the mysterious attack of giddiness and a recurrent tendency to bleed in the head. It troubled him during his work, and he would pass days without writing at all. Macaulay always surrounded by books and quivers wrote : "How I worked a year ago,… and why cannot I work so now." The pain of not writing to him was depressing. Just after nine days of his election, on July 22, 1852, he suffered from a long pending extreme debility, and a deep pain in chest, which warned him that something was seriously wrong.
Hannah, his sister took him to Clifton, where he spent the autumn talking about old times and faces. He felt the beauty in the atmosphere, which he had lost for quite sometime because of his books. Winter came and brought along bronchitis, thereafter causing asthmatic cough. Macaulay felt as if he had a few days to live and he would not be able to sail the ocean of 18th century whose history he wanted to complete. Robert Frost’s words strike the right chord :
The woods are dark and deep
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep
In spite of failing health, he was determined not to give up till he covered the history of William. Macaulay didn’t want to sink deep in his success but rather committed himself to the work. The flow of pages didn’t stop even in this bad health. It was rather seen as influenced by the fore-knowledge of death. The other articles that he wrote during these years were for the Encyclopaedia Britannica – on Atterburg, Bunyan, Goldsmith, and Johnson – were masterpieces of comprehension.
Health didn’t permit him to attend the House regularly and he seldom spoke. But when he did speak, he was listened to with universal respect. After a long break, Macaulay returned to the House in the summer of 1853. He gave a speech for 40 minutes in the quiet tones of ‘a man of the world’, confiding his learning and logic to a party of gentlemen. In the same session, he spoke on India Bill, which was passed and later he served as its chairman to put the new system in practice and wrote its report.
Macaulay had great love for life and didn’t abate his courage though had abandoned public life to save his vitality as best as he could to finish his task of History.
Macaulay the person of literature was tender at heart. He was a generous person and it is said about him that on one showery day in the summer of 1854, he was taking a walk in the vicinity where he found poor Surrey hop-pickers going towards the ale-house. He also followed them just out of curiosity. They ordered for beer and a foaming pot of beer was kept before them, but when they learnt its price they put it down untasted. Macaulay paid for their drink and was deeply pleased for the gratitude the group had shown towards him. On returning he wrote in his journal followed by more blessing than be believed were ever before purchased for nine pence.
History at the Peak
The summer at Esher saw him completing the work on William. Despite bad health, not a week passed without seeing the completion of seven or eight pages. The end of 1855 saw the publication of the second part of his History.
This part received overwhelming response and by far surpassed the success of the first publication. Twenty-five thousand copies of the two volumes were sold this time before the official date of publication. No such edition of work gave that much circulation, name and fame to its author before. Success and fame, which it brought along, made Macaulay pray like a child. He prayed that neither age nor riches should harden him.
Macaulay’s success was a little short of a miracle. He had achieved success in cultivating love for history – in the general public of his day. In a year 14,000 copies of one volume were sold in the United Kingdom and a total of 1,40,000 copies of entire History were sold. In America, the sale was even greater, the series also got translated into almost every language including Persian.
Before the launch of the second part the sale of the previous volumes had gained stagnancy. The steady accumulated sale raised his income to £4,000 a year. Longmans gave him £20,000 cheque after three months of the second publication.
Retirement
The year 1856 witnessed two major changes in his life. Macaulay bid farewell to his constituency and after nearly 36 years, he quit the House of Commons. On May 1, he made the last move out of the House.
He shifted to a wooded lane on Campden Hill, which was designed in such a manner that he could step from his library window on to a green lawn. While working, he at times turned towards gardening. He had happy days here, sleep came easily and refreshments were handy. He loved to spend his spare time either gardening or entertaining Hannah and Trevelyan’s children on feast days in his traditional style.
Almost all his remaining life passed at this place. Macaulay was seen pondering over books or found in the garden or attending his only social holiday ramble in Trevelyan’s Company. As his health did not permit him much, he had to be in his hearth to save his energy.
An offer of a peerage…. I was very much surprised; Macaulay wrote these words in his journal. It was August 28, 1857 when he was dining at Holly Lodge – the message of great honor came to his surprise. Long after quitting public life, Honor of Peerage was welcomed overwhelmingly and then onwards Macaulay was – Lord Macaulay of Rothley after his birthplace.
Historians, who always loved the past, got one more opportunity that would relate him to his past – Cambridge University. The autumn of 1857 saw Macaulay unanimously elected as High Steward of the Borough of Cambridge.
The honors did please, but the world that appreciated Macaulay was his – world of books. When the world’s day came to an end, the historian dug the past and his house would cluster with hundreds of friendly shadows like Parson Adams, Elizabeth Bennet, Mr Valicant and many more whom he had loved since his earliest youth. At times even tears rolled down his cheeks when he turned the pages of his numerous favorite books.
The Last Year
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the will which says to them : "Hold On !"
Macaulay had reduced his socials to few as he knew that his broken frame – because of perpetual coughing won’t last long. Macaulay knew that the last act of his play was on and was concerned whether he would finish his work on William.
"How the days steal away" wrote Macaulay as he tried to pen down as much as he could. In the final months of his life, some magnificent work on which the world marvels today poured out of his pen. The description of Darien Fiasco, of the fire at White Hall, of the recognition of the Old Pretender by Louis etc. were his works done in the final days. The irony of the writer was that he was aware of the fact that he was only beginning to learn how to write, and soon he would be able to write no more.
Macaulay struggling hard to survive received a blow in October 1859. The man of emotions and affections was very much attached to Hannah. Trevelyan was posted as Governor of Madras – India and Hannah taking Alice with her would sail to join him. Parting, which he always feared of was to come at last. To avoid the grief, he immersed himself in work. He resolved that he would see one more volume through the press before he died.
Macaulay had finished with 1699 – 1700 session by December 14, 1859. Heavy frost of December 1859 and the strain of overwork produced heaviness of mind and body almost beyond his bearing.
"Still intense frost. I could hardly use my razor for the palpitation of the heart. I feel as if I were 20 years older since last Thursday;…I am perfectly ready, and shall never be readier."
Macaulay recorded this sensation in his journal on December 19. On December 21, 1859 he had his regular check up. There was no major problem except that his heart was a little weak. Christmas day was spent with Hannah. On Wednesday December 28, his nephew George Trevelyan called him up and he was collapsing while talking. George hurried up to call her mother and when they arrived in the library at Holly Lodge, Macaulay was found sitting upright in his chair with a book still open on his side. The historian had become a part of that which he had made it his business to record.
The Baron – Lord Macaulay of Rothley was buried in Westminster Abbey.
His last work the History of England (Volume V) was posthumously published in 1861. It was edited by Lady Trevelyan.
• "I would rather be a poor man in a garret with plenty of books than a king who did not love reading."
• "Men are never so likely to settle a question rightly as when they discuss it freely."
– Southey’s Colloquies
• "That is the best government which desires to make the people happy, and knows how to make them happy."
– On Mitford's History of Greece
• "Free trade, one of the greatest blessings which a government can confer on a people, is in almost every country unpopular."
– Ibid
• "The history of nations, in the sense in which I use the word, is often best studied in works not professedly historical."
– Ibid
• "Wherever literature consoles sorrow or assuages pain; wherever it brings gladness to eyes which fail with wakefulness and tears, and ache for the dark house and the long sleep, -- there is exhibited in its noblest form the immortal influence of Athens."
– Ibid
• "We hold that the most wonderful and splendid proof of genius is a great poem produced in a civilized age."
– On Milton
• "Out of his surname they have coined an epithet for a knave, and out of his Christian name a synonym for the Devil."
– On Machiavelli
• "Nothing is so useless as a general maxim."
– On Machiavelli
• "His imagination resembled the wings of an ostrich. It enabled him to run, though not to soar."
– Ibid
• "That wonderful book, while it obtains admiration from the most fastidious critics, is loved by those who are too simple to admire it."
– On Bunyan’s Pilgrim's Progress
• "The conformation of his mind was such that whatever was little seemed to him great, and whatever was great seemed to him little."
– On Horace Walpole
• "Temple was a man of the world amongst men of letters, a man of letters amongst men of the world."
– On Sir William Temple
• "The chief-justice was rich, quiet, and infamous."
– On Warren Hastings
• "In that temple of silence and reconciliation where the enmities of twenty generations lie buried, in the great Abbey which has during many ages afforded a quiet resting-place to those whose minds and bodies have been shattered by the contentions of the Great Fall."
– Ibid
• I shall cheerfully bear the reproach of having descended below the dignity of history.
– History of England. Vol. I., Chap. I.
• To every man upon this earth
Death cometh soon or late;
And how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds
For the ashes of his fathers
• "He had a head which statutaries loved to copy, and a foot the deformity of which the beggars in the streets mimicked."
– On Moore’s Life of Lord Byron
• "Nothing is so galling to a people, not broken in from the birth, as a paternal or, in other words, a meddling government, a government which tells them what to read and say and eat and drink and wear."
– Southey’s Colloquies
• "Perhaps no person can be a poet, or even enjoy poetry, without a certain unsoundness of mind."
– On Milton
