. HOLL, FROM A DRAWING BY
GEORGE RICHMOND, A.R.A.]

At thirty-nine Macaulay began his _History of England_, which
continued to absorb most of his time for the next twenty years. While
he was working on his history he published _Lays of Ancient Rome_,
that had a success scarcely inferior to that of Scott's _Lady of the
Lake_ or Byron's _Childe Harold_. He also published his essays, which
had a remarkable sale. His history, the first two volumes of which
appeared in 1848, scored a success that astounded all the critics.
When the third volume appeared in 1855, no less than twenty-six
thousand, five hundred copies were sold in ten weeks, which broke all
records of that day. Macaulay received royalties of over $150,000 on
history, a sum which would have been trebled had he secured payment
on editions issued in the United States, where his works were more
popular than in his own country. His last years were crowded with
honors. He accepted a peerage two years before his death. When the end
came he was given a public funeral and a place in Westminster Abbey.

With Carlyle, Macaulay shares the honor of being the greatest of
English essayists. While he cannot compare with Carlyle in insight
into character and in splendor of imagination, he appeals to the wider
audience because of his attractive style, his wealth of ornament and
illustration and his great clearness. Carlyle's appeal is mainly to
students, but Macaulay appeals to all classes of readers.

Macaulay's style has been imitated by many hands, but no one has ever
worked such miracles as he wrought with apparent ease. In the first
place, his learning was so much a part of his mind that he drew on its
stores without effort. Scarcely a paragraph can be found in all his
essays which is not packed with allusions, yet all seem to illustrate
his subject so naturally that one never looks upon them as used to
display his remarkable knowledge.

Macaulay is a master of all the literary arts. Especially does he love
to use antithesis and to make his effects by violent contrasts. Add to
this the art of skilful climax, clever alliteration, happy
illustration and great narrative power and you have the chief features
of Macaulay's style. The reader is carried along on this flood of
oratorical style, and so great is the author's descriptive power that
one actually beholds the scenes and the personages which he depicts.

Of all his essays Macaulay shows his great powers most conspi