Macaulay essayist

He was raised to the peerage in Early life and political career Macaulay was born in the house of an uncle in Leicestershire. His father, Zachary Macaulay, the son of a Presbyterian minister from the Hebrides, had been governor of Sierra Leone; an ardent philanthropist and an ally of William Wilberforcewho fought for the abolition of slavery, he was a man of severe evangelical piety.

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Early life[ edit ] Macaulay was born at Rothley Temple [4] in Leicestershire on 25 Octoberthe son of Zachary Macaulaya Scottish Highlanderwho became a colonial governor and abolitionistand Selina Mills of Bristola former pupil of Hannah More.

He studied law, and in he was called to the barbut he soon took more interest in a political career. But in fact, Macaulay's strongest emotional ties were to his youngest sisters, Margaret who died while he was in India, and Hannah. As Hannah grew older, he formed the same close attachment to Hannah's daughter Margaret, whom he called "Baba".

He likely had an eidetic memory. In his letters, he describes reading the Aeneid whilst on vacation in Malvern inand being moved to tears by the beauty of Virgil 's poetry. He also taught himself German, Dutch, and Spanish, and remained fluent in French.

His maiden speech was in favour of abolishing the civil disabilities of the Jews in the UK. Though proud to have helped pass the Reform Bill, Macaulay never ceased to be grateful to his former patron, Lansdowne, who remained a great friend and political ally.

India — [ edit ] Macaulay by John Partridge. The financial embarrassment of his father meant that Macaulay became the sole means of support for his family and needed a more remunerative post than he could hold as an MP.

He went to India inand served on the Supreme Council of India between and There was no tradition of secondary education in vernacular languages; the institutions then supported by the East India Company taught either in Sanskrit or Persian.

Later life and writings

Hence, he argued, "We have to educate a people who cannot at present be educated by means of their mother-tongue. We must teach them some foreign language. In one of the less scathing passages of the Minute he wrote: I have no knowledge of either Sanscrit or Arabic. But I have done what I could to form a correct estimate of their value.

I have read translations of the most celebrated Arabic and Sanscrit works. I have conversed both here and at home with men distinguished by their proficiency in the Eastern tongues.

I am quite ready to take the Oriental learning at the valuation of the Orientalists themselves. I have never found one among them who could deny that a single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia.Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron Macaulay: Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron Macaulay, English Whig politician, essayist, poet, and historian best known for his History of England, 5 vol.

(–61); this work, which covers the period –, secured his place as one of the founders of what has been called the Whig interpretation of. Julian Browning specializes in the sale of autograph letters, historical documents and manuscripts dating from about to All historical autographs, letters and documents are researched and authenticated with care, described accurately, and priced fairly.

Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay, FRS FRSE PC (25 October – 28 December ) was a British historian and Whig politician.

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He wrote extensively as an essayist, on contemporary and historical sociopolitical subjects, and as a reviewer. Diversity, Multicultural & Social Justice Quotations/Quotes. Index: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y.

Thomas Babington Macaulay () whose life and work were interwoven with India *introduction by fwp* *Life and Letters of Lord Macaulay: introduction by Sir George Otto Trevelyan ()* **: "I am very much pleased that the nation seems to take such interest in the introduction of Christianity into India." **: "When I .

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