FROM W. WILBERFORCE, ESQ., M.P.

Iver Grove, July 2, 1824. MY DEAR MACAULAY,—I take up my pen, the first letter I have written since my illness, to ask if it be a settled question that you are to send abroad a commission of inquiry into your conduct and character, for such appears the inference to be drawn from the account of the Vice-Chancellor's sentence in the Bull's case. The only point in dispute was whether Bull should file two Bills or one. It is surely enough to fill any prudent man with dismay, to be compelled to have it understood that his character is to stand the fearful issue of an inquiry into his life and conduct during a long course of years, comprising perhaps part of his life when he might not be governed by so strict a rule of conduct as in his after-life; an inquiry to be conducted in a country in which party spirit was immeasurably strong against him and all his, and in which the moral standard was set very low indeed. Surely if this be not absolutely settled, every effort ought to be used to prevent this settlement. Taking the deep interest I do in your well-being and comfort, I cannot but feel quite anxious on the point.

Now a word or two about Tom, to express my earnest wishes, to which my prayers shall doubtless be super-added, that his superior powers may continue to be employed to the glory of God and to the comfort of your advancing years. I hope he will recognise and maintain and achieve the dignity of independence, and that he will not be tempted by the strong inducements arising from an early deliverance from the grievous path of a profession, to forego without adequate grounds of preference the higher elevation and more extended usefulness he might secure by a more leisurely and self-sustained course. It gave me no little pleasure that Mrs. Macaulay and Tom's sisters witnessed his triumph.-Ever affectionately yours,

W. W.

FROM H.R.H. THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER.

Cheltenham, August 8, 1824.

DEAR MACAULAY,—I had yesterday the pleasure of receiving your letter. It is impossible for me at this distance of time to recollect precisely what was contained in the short address I made to the persons who attended the meeting of the Anti-slavery Society on the 25th of June, especially as I always speak extempore, never prepare myself, and merely give vent to the feelings of the moment; but as far as I can recollect I conceive that the substance of what I then said is contained in the paper I return to you.

I read with much surprise what passed respecting your prosecution of the John Bull, and I own I cannot comprehend the grounds upon which the decision was made. The whole of this is a very odd business; but you can only feel contempt at what has been said of you. You stand much too high to be affected by anything such a truly despicable paper can publish respecting you. With sincere regard and esteem, I am always, dear Macaulay, very truly yours, WILLIAM FREDERICK.

CHAPTER XIV

ANTI-SLAVERY WORK

EARLY in 1825 Macaulay went down to Liverpool, where a large gathering was held at the residence of Mr. Cropper in order to introduce a scheme of a Company for the cultivation of sugar by Free Labour. Mr. Cropper, whose name was held in great reverence by the Anti-slavery leaders, was in the habit of devoting many months of each year to conducting at his own expense a campaign through different parts of Great Britain in order to diffuse the knowledge of the real facts connected with Slavery in our Colonies. His powers of persuasion and of influencing the opinions of those who listened to him were very remarkable, while it was commonly said of him, ' Give him pen and ink and he will demonstrate that black is white.' Upon the present occasion the plan of the Company which had been framed by Mr. Cropper met with so much approbation, that before ten minutes had elapsed after he had expounded it to the assembly, shares to the amount of £175,000 were disposed of. Some among the more vehement opponents of slavery urged that all the members of the Company should pledge themselves to refuse dealing with any grocer who sold West Indian sugar; but even at the risk of alienating powerful supporters Macaulay would not join in a measure which he thought very unfair upon tradespeople. He undertook himself to abstain from slave-grown sugar, but with his accustomed toleration for opinions which differed from his own, earnestly deprecated any compulsion being used upon others.

In France the Baron de Staël, who had acquired the support and sympathy of the Dauphin in his views, was actively engaged in preparing petitions in favour of Abolition, and numbers of merchants in Paris and Bordeaux came forward to affix their signatures to them. To second his exertions Macaulay kept the agitators well supplied with papers for information,

and an Anti-slavery Reporter in French, which he furnished. constantly, was of especial advantage in securing hesitating adherents. One immediate effect of these measures was to increase enormously the number of foreigners who claimed Macaulay's attention and hospitality, and it was fortunate that he had a number of friends who were both able and willing to assist in doing the honours of their country to these visitors.

TO MRS. MACAULAY.

Ampton, April 5, 1825.

I have had delightful weather. I got to Sudbury about seven, and there I dined and slept. This morning I got to Bury St. Edmunds to breakfast, and here I am before noon. The party consists of Lord Calthorpe, Baptist Noel, Whishaw, Smyth, the Professor of Poetry from Cambridge, and young Fitzgerald. The country through which I have passed is not very beautiful and not at all picturesque, but there is an air of solid security and comfort which is most gratifying. The houses of the poor are well built and have enough of ornament in the way of flower-beds to convince you that their inmates are generally at their ease. Old and young seemed well clothed from head to foot. I have scarcely seen a rag or tatter since I left London, nor have I seen one beggar. The churches are, in general, noble buildings, most of them in the Gothic style, and of an antiquity which of itself impresses a sentiment of veneration. Some of the parish churches I passed would make most respectable cathedrals.

I am not sure that I was not better pleased on the whole with our little Prayer Book and Homily Society than even with the two great Leviathans. The Liturgy and Homilies are translated or translating into various heathen languages chiefly by Dissenters, who find that to their converts they can give nothing more likely to conduce to their stability and growth in grace, and as guides to their devotion, than the language in which the martyrs of the Anglican Church breathed out their souls before the throne of grace. We had a Chinese Missionary and a South American Missionary all testifying with one consent to the extraordinary acceptableness of our Liturgy wherever it was made known. One is almost led to conceive a hope that this same Church of ours may literally in time become the Catholic Church; and not the less, I hope, because that Church which arrogates to itself the name of Catholic is about to be relieved from all civil pains and penalties. I dined

yesterday in company with the Archbishop of Dublin, who seemed horrified at the prospect. Both he and Richard Ryder, who was of the party, seemed to attribute a very considerable effect in favour of the Catholic claims in the House of Lords to the Duke of York's imprudent and unconstitutional speech. It is said to have decided Lord Liverpool on that side. This, however, is only rumour. One thing is certain, that he who used formerly to lead the opposition to these claims has not during the whole of the present Session, from the beginning to the end of it, said one word which has carried with it the slightest indication of hostility towards the Catholics.

FROM BARON DE STAËL.

Paris, April 24, 1825.

MOST DEAR SIR,-The Morale Chrétienne excited peculiar interest. The Duke de Broglie was in the chair, and on addressing the audience made a few observations in answer to a Mandamus of the Bishop of Dijon, in which it was said that Bible Societies were only a new mask for infidelity, and that there was neither morals nor Christianity in the Society of Christian Morals. This was followed by a most masterly speech by Guizot. But the circumstance which was most impressive was that a Quaker, Mrs. Elizabeth Walker, requested to address the meeting, and was listened to with great attention and emotion. Considering that the audience consisted chiefly of young men of a very liberal turn of mind, that is certainly one of the greatest proofs I could give of the progress of serious thoughts in France. Ten years ago the same circumstance would have excited nothing but laughter. Two days before, the same lady had already spoken with great power at the Tract Society.

I send you two copies of Benjamin Constant's speech on the law against piracy, in which you will observe a strong passage against Slave-trading.

TO T. BABINGTON, ESQ.

September 1825.

We settled much that was important at Cromer. I have nearly finished an analysis of the Parliamentary papers of last Session, which will shortly be published with notes.

Brougham's Bill for the opening of the Session is to be drawn on the basis of the Trinidad Order in Council, of Lord Bathurst's Instruction to the Colonies, and of the points agreed

1 The Right Reverend W. Magee.