But

a member of the House of Commons for a long time, but was made a lord some time before he died. He was one of the best public speakers of his day, and one of the best writers. There is not much to say about him that young readers could understand. they ought all to be told that he makes a good many mistakes. Another clever man, who knew him well, used to say-“Macaulay is always so cock-sure of everything;" and he is, and he had a most wonderful memory. Besides that, he tried to find out the truth, and had it in his heart to write it. But he was so fond of saying clever things, that he sometimes wrote them down in a hurry because they were clever, without stopping to think if they were true. So, if you should ever come to read what he wrote about some parts of English History, Dr. Johnson, Spenser, and some others, you must mind that you are not to take it for granted that it is all true. Some of the mistakes are just where nobody would expect them, and where it was easy to find out the truth.

For all this, Macaulay was a good man, and tried all his life to help on good things and good people. His father was the friend of William Wilberforce, and helped to get the slave trade done away with.

This ballad about the Spanish Armada will do, when you have got the pleasure out of it, for a lesson in geography. You will see it is about the alarm that was given when the Spanish Armada was seen at a distance; and the watch-fires that were lighted all over England to arouse the people. It was as if an alarm-fire were lighted on the top of the Nelson column, and then the people at the end of Fleet-street saw it, and lit one upon St. Paul's, and then the people in Eastcheap saw that, and lighted another on the Monument, so that every one might know as quickly as possible. You know it was in 1588 that the Spaniards came to invade England-long before the days of telegraphs, or even of penny posts.

A merchant ship brought news to Plymouth that the Armada was in sight, a fleet seven miles long, and soon all England was alive

with the news. At Plymouth Macaulay describes the setting up of the British flag in the name of Queen Elizabeth:

With his white hair unbonneted the stout old Sheriff

comes;

Behind him march the halberdiers, before him sound the drums;

His yeomen, round the market-cross, make clear an ample space,

For there behoves him to set up the standard of her Grace.