"Of the fair brotherhood who share my grace,
I, from thy natal day, pronounce thee free;
And, if for some I keep a nobler place,

I keep for none a happier than for thee.

"There are who, while to vulgar eyes they seem
Of all my bounties largely to partake,
Of me as of some rival's handmaid deem,

And court me but for gain's, power's, fashion's sake.

"To such, though deep their lore, though wide their fame,
Shall my great mysteries be all unknown:
But thou, through good and evil, praise and blame,
Wilt not thou love me for myself alone?

"Yes; thou wilt love me with exceeding love;
And I will tenfold all that love repay :
Still smiling, though the tender may reprove;
Still faithful, though the trusted may betray.

"In the dark hour of shame, I deigned to stand
Before the frowning peers at Bacon's side;
On a far shore I smoothed with tender hand,
Through months of pain, the sleepless bed of Hyde.

"I brought the wise and brave of ancient days
To cheer the cell where Raleigh pined alone.

I lighted Milton's darkness with the blaze

Of the bright ranks that guard the eternal throne.

"And even so, my child, it is my pleasure

That thou not then alone shouldst feel me nigh,
When in domestic bliss and studious leisure,
Thy weeks uncounted come, uncounted fly.

"No; when on restless night dawns cheerless morrow, When weary soul and wasting body pine,

Thine am I still, in danger, sickness, sorrow,
In conflict, obloquy, want, exile, thine;

VOL. II.

"Thine where on mountain waves the snowbirds scream,
Where more than Thule's winter barbs the breeze,
Where scarce, through lowering clouds, one sickly gleam
Lights the drear May-day of Antarctic seas;

Thine, when around thy litter's track all day
White sandhills shall reflect the blinding glare;
Thine, when, through forests breathing death, thy way
All night shall wind by many a tiger's lair;

"Thine most, when friends turn pale, when traitors fly
When, hard beset, thy spirit, justly proud,
For truth, peace, freedom, mercy, dares defy
A sullen priesthood and a raving crowd.1

"Amidst the din of all things fell and vile,
Hate's yell, and envy's hiss, and folly's bray,
Remember me; and with an unforced smile
See riches, baubles, flatterers, pass away.

"Yes; they will pass away; nor deem it strange ;
They come and go, as comes and goes the sea:
And let them come and go; thou, through all change,
Fix thy firm gaze on virtue and on me."

1

"I cannot," said Macaulay on the hustings, "ask pardon for my conduct. I cannot ask pardon for being in the right. I come here to state what I have done clearly, and to defend it." The address to his late constituents, which he

put forth after his defeat, contained the following sentence. "I shall always be proud to think that I once enjoyed your favour; but permit me to say that I shall remember not less proudly how I risked, and how I lost it."

CHAPTER XI.

1847-1849.

Macaulay retires into private life-Extracts from Lord Carlisle's journal-Macaulay's conversation-His memory-His distaste for general society-His ways with children--Letters to his niece Margaret-The judicious poet-ValentinesSight-seeing-Eastern tours-Macaulay's method of work -His diligence in collecting his materials-Glencoe-Londonderry-Macaulay's accuracy: opinions of Mr. Bagehot and Mr. Buckle-Macaulay's industry at the desk-His love for his task-Extracts from his diary--His attention to the details of the press-The History appears-Congratulations -Lord Halifax; Lord Jeffrey; Lord Auckland; Miss Edgeworth-The popularity of the work-Extract from "Punch" -Macaulay's attitude in relation to his critics-The Quarterly Review-The sacrifices which Macaulay made to literature.

AFTER a few nights of sound sleep, and a few days of quiet among his books, Macaulay had recovered both from the fatigues of the contest and the vexation of the defeat. On the 6th of August 1847, he writes to his sister Fanny: "I am here in solitude, reading and working with great satisfaction to myself.

My table is covered with letters of condolence, and with invitations from half the places which have not yet chosen members. I have been asked to stand for Ayr, for Wigton, and for Oxfordshire. At Wigton, and in Oxfordshire, I was actually put in nomination without my permission, and my supporters were with difficulty prevented from going to the poll. From the Sheffield Iris, which was sent me to-day, I see that a party wishes to put me up for the West Riding. Craig tells me that there is a violent reaction at Edinburgh, and that those who

voted against me are very generally ashamed of themselves, and wish to have me back again. I did not know how great a politician I was till my Edinburgh friends chose to dismiss me from politics. I never can leave public life with more dignity and grace than at present."

Such consolations as private life had to offer, Macaulay possessed in abundance. He enjoyed the pleasures of society in their most delightful shape; for he was one of a circle of eminent and gifted men who were the warm friends of himself and of each other. How brilliantly these men talked is already a matter of tradition. No report of their conversation has been published, and in all probability none exists. Scattered and meagre notices in the leaves of private diaries form the sole surviving record of many an Attic night, and still more agreeable morning. Happily Lord Carlisle's journal has preserved for us, (as may be seen in the extracts which follow,) at least the names of those with whom Macaulay lived, the houses which he frequented, and some few of the topics which he discussed. That journal proves, by many an affectionate and admiring expression, how highly my uncle was esteemed by one whose approbation and regard were never lightly given.1

"June 27, 1843.-I breakfasted with Hallam, John Russell, Macaulay, Everett, Van de Weyer, Mr. Hamilton, U.S., and Mahon. Never were such torrents of good talk as burst and sputtered over from Macaulay and Hallam. A great deal about Latin and Greek inscriptions. They think the first unrivalled for that purpose: so free from articles and particles. Hallam read some wondrous extracts from the Lives of the Saints now being

1 Macaulay's acquaintance with the Howard family was of old standing, as may be gathered from a passage in a letter of the

year 1833. This exceedingly droll production is too thickly strewn with personal allusions to admit of its being published

edited by Newman. Macaulay repeated, after the Yankees were gone, an egregious extract from a Natchez repudiation Paper, making out our Saviour to be the first great repudiator, when he overthrew the seats of the money-changers.'

"March 4, 1848.-Macaulay says that they" (the Parisian republicans) "are refuting the doctrines of political economy in the way a man would refute the doctrine of gravitation by jumping off the Monument."

"January 6, 1849.-Finished Macaulay's two lumes. How admirable they are, full of generous impulse, judicial impartiality, wide research, deep thought, picturesque description, and sustained eloquence! Was history ever better written? Guizot 2 praises Macaulay. He except in a fragmentary con- to the writer, and not very dition which would be unjust interesting to the reader.

"I dined at Holland House yesterday. DRAMATIS PERSONE.