ers. I do not think I had sense
enough to take in the relations and proportions of the events. It
was like moving a magnifying glass over the parts of a beetle, and
not taking in the whole.

Macaulay's history charmed her, and in all her first enthusiasm she
wrote a long letter about it to her old friend, Sir Henry Holland. He
showed it to Macaulay, who was so struck with its discrimination and
ability that he begged to be allowed to keep it. Among all the incidents
connected with the publication of his book, nothing, it is said,
pleased Macaulay more than the gratification he had contrived to give
Miss Edgeworth as a small return for the enjoyment which, during more
than forty years, he had derived from her writings:--

TRIM, April 2nd, 1849.

MY DEAR DR. HOLLAND:

I have just finished Macaulay's two volumes of the _History of
England_ with the same feeling that you expressed--regret at coming
to the end, and longing for another volume--the most uncommon
feeling, I suppose, that readers of two thick octavo volumes of the
history of England and of times so well known, or whose story has
been so often written, ever experienced. In truth, in the whole
course of reading or hearing it read I was sorry to stop and glad
to go on. It bears peculiarly well that severe test of being read
aloud; it never wearies the ear by the long resounding line, but
keeps the attention alive by the energy shown. It is the perfection
of style so varied, and yet the same in fitness, in propriety, in
perspicuity, in grace, in dignity and eloquence, and, whenever
naturally called forth, in that just indignation which makes the
historian as well as the poet. If Voltaire says true that "the
style is the man," what a man must Macaulay be! But the man is in
fact as much more than the style, as the matter is more than the
manner. It is astonishing with what ease Macaulay wields, manages,
arranges his vast materials collected far and near, and knows their
value and proportions so as to give the utmost strength and force
and light and life to the whole, and sustains the whole. Such new
lights are thrown upon historic facts and historic characters that
the old appear new, and that which had been dull becomes bright
and entertaining and interesting. Exceedingly interesting he has
made history by the happy use