Macaulay. Thomas

THE HISTORY OF

ENGLAND

FROM THE ACCESSION OF JAMES THE SECOND

BY

LORD MACAULAY

EDITED BY

CHARLES HARDING FIRTH, M.A.

REGIUS PROFESSOR OF MODERN HISTORY IN THE
UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

IN SIX VOLUMES

VOLUME I

MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED

ST. MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON

COPYRIGHT

GL

DAABE
MA

1913
v.l.

LIBRARY

PREFACE

It seems surprising that no illustrated edition of Macaulay's History of England has hitherto been issued. It is true that each of the six volumes of the Albany edition contains a portrait as its frontispiece, but no attempt has yet been made to supply a full pictorial accompaniment to Macaulay's narrative. A detailed account of a few eventful years naturally offers ample opportunities to the illustrator, and there. are few authors who more constantly refer, either directly or indirectly, to engravings and pictures in order to elucidate their descriptions of persons and places.

in the drama.

A statement of the sources from which the illustrations have been derived and the principles upon which they have been selected will not be out of place. The first object was to obtain portraits of the actors "In all my poor historical investigations," wrote Carlyle, "it has been, and always is, one of the most primary wants to procure a bodily likeness of the personage enquired after; a good portrait, if such exists; failing that, even an indifferent if sincere one. In short, any representation, made by a faithful human creature, of that face and figure, which he saw with his eyes, and which I can never see with mine, is now valuable to me."

These volumes therefore contain, side by side with the portraits of the kings and statesmen who played leading parts on the stage, representations of the minor characters who passed for a moment across

it.
In the case of important personages several portraits are usually
given, in order to show them at different times in their career, or as they
appeared to the eyes of different observers. Sometimes rude engravings
have been included, either because they represent the popular conception
of a great man, or because no other portrait could be procured. The

MAIN

historical rather than the artistic merits of an illustration have often determined the choice.

Of Macaulay himself four portraits are given. The earliest in date is that by John Partridge, presented by Viscount Knutsford to the National Portrait Gallery in 1910. It was probably a study for the figure of Macaulay in the "Meeting of the Royal Fine Arts Commission at Gwydyr House in the year 1846," which was also painted by Partridge. This too is in the National Portrait Gallery, but owing to its condition is no longer exhibited. Next in order of time is the sketch by Richard Doyle-a single figure taken from a caricature entitled "Unhappy Ghosts wandering on the banks of the Styx." It represents eight politicians who had failed to obtain seats at the general election of 1847, waiting for Charon's boat, and Macaulay is at the head of the file. This is number 891 in the collection of Political Sketches by H. B. Allowing for the exaggerations of a caricaturist the features of the profile in Doyle's sketch are very like those of the head in the bronze medallion of Macaulay, modelled by Marochetti in 1848, and purchased by the National Portrait Gallery in 1877. In the same year that institution also acquired a painting by Sir Francis Grant, which was presented to it by Sir William Stirling Maxwell. One cannot accept it as a good likeness, the features are lacking in character, and there is no strength in the face. It is the original study for a portrait painted for Speaker Denison about 1854.1

One by

Besides these pictures there are several photographs. Claudet, said to have been taken about 1857, is engraved as the frontispiece to Macaulay's "Life and Letters." It is a half length representing Macaulay seated, with his hands crossed, leaning on a stick a favourite attitude of his in conversation.

Another is reproduced as the frontispiece to this edition. It is a daguerrotype in the possession of Sir George Trevelyan, taken about 1855, and remarkable for its realistic truth and psychological interest.

1There are also (1) a portrait by S. W. Reynolds, painted and engraved in 1833; (2) a crayon portrait by G. Richmond, described in Macaulay's Diary under February 19, 1850, as one with which he was contented; (3) a portrait by E. U. Eddis, painted about 1850; (4) a drawing by E. M. Ward, representing Macaulay in his study in the Albany; (5) a posthumous portrait by James Archer in the possession of the Reform Club; (6) a statue by Woolner in the ante-chapel of Trinity College.