always a great favourite of mine;
honest, though careless; a strong party man on the right side, yet with
much kind feeling towards his opponents, and even towards his personal
enemies. He is to me a most entertaining writer; far superior to
Clarendon in the art of amusing, though of course far Clarendon's
inferior in discernment, and in dignity and correctness of style. Do you
know, by the bye, Clarendon's life of himself? I like it, the part after
the Restoration at least, better than his great History.

I am very quiet; rise at seven or half-past; read Spanish till ten;
breakfast; walk to my office; stay there till four; take a long walk,
dine towards seven; and am in bed before eleven. I am going through Don
Quixote again, and admire it more than ever. It is certainly the best
novel in the world, beyond all comparison.

Ever yours

T. B. M.

To Hannah M. Macaulay.

London: October 21, 1833.

My dear Sister,--Grant is here at last, and we have had a very long talk
about matters both public and private. The Government would support
my appointment; but he expects violent opposition from the Company. He
mentioned my name to the Chairs, and they were furious. They know that
I have been against them through the whole course of the negotiations
which resulted in the India Bill. They put their opposition on the
ground of my youth,--a very flattering objection to a man who this week
completes his thirty-third year. They spoke very highly of me in other
respects; but they seemed quite obstinate.

The question now is whether their opposition will be supported by the
other Directors. If it should be so, I have advised Grant most strongly
to withdraw my name, to put up some other man, and then to fight the
battle to the utmost. We shall be suspected of jobbing if we proceed to
extremities on behalf of one of ourselves; but we can do what we
like, if it is in favour of some person whom we cannot be suspected of
supporting from interested motives. From the extreme unreasonableness
and pertinacity which are discernible in every communication that we
receive from the India House at present, I am inclined to think that
I have no chance of being chosen by them, without a dispute in which I
should not wish the Government to engage for such a purpose. Lord Grey
says that I have a right to their support if I ask for it; but that,
for the sake of his administration generally, he is very adverse to my
going. I do not think that I