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immeasurably more humane than cock…fighting。〃
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY
Macaulay inserted in the Edinburgh Review of March； 1829； an article
upon Mr Mill's Essay。 He attacked the method with much vehemence；
and； to the end of his life； he never saw any ground for believing that in
this he had gone too far。 But before long he felt that he had not spoken of
the author of the Essay with the respect due to so eminent a man。 In
1833； he described Mr mill； during the debate on the India Bill of that year；
as a 〃gentleman extremely well acquainted with the affairs of our Eastern
Empire； a most valuable servant of the Company； and the author of a
history of India； which； though certainly not free from faults； is； I think； on
the whole； the greatest historical work which has appeared in our language
since that of Gibbon。〃
Almost immediately upon the appearance of the article in the
Edinburgh Review； an answer was published in the Westminster Review。
It was untruly attributed； in the newspapers of the day； to Mr Bentham
himself。 Macaulay's answer to this appeared in the Edinburgh Review；
June； 1829。 He wrote the answer under the belief that he was answering
Mr Bentham； and was undeceived in time only to add the postscript。 The
author of the article in the Westminster Review had not perceived that the
question raised was not as to the truth or falsehood of the result at which
Mr Mill had arrived； but as to the soundness or unsoundness of the method
which he pursued； a misunderstanding at which Macaulay； while he
supposed the article to be the work of Mr Bentham； expressed much
surprise。 The controversy soon became principally a dispute as to the
theory which was commonly known by the name of The Greatest
Happiness Principle。 Another article in the Westminster Review
followed； and a surrejoinder by Macaulay in the Edinburgh Review of
October； 1829。 Macaulay was irritated at what he conceived to be either
extreme dullness or gross unfairness on the part of his unknown antagonist；
and struck as hard as he could； and he struck very hard indeed。
The ethical question thus raised was afterwards discussed by Sir James
Mackintosh； in the Dissertation contributed by him to the seventh edition
of the Encyclopaedia Britannica； page 284…313 （Whewell's Edition）。 Sir
James Mackintosh notices the part taken in the controversy by Macaulay；
in the following words： 〃A writer of consummate ability； who has failed
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY
in little but the respect due to the abilities and character of his opponents；
has given too much countenance to the abuse and confusion of language
exemplified in the well…known verse of Pope；
'Modes of self…love the Passions we may call。'
'We know；' says he； 'no universal proposition respecting human nature
which is true but onethat men always act from self… interest。'〃 〃It is
manifest from the sequel； that the writer is not the dupe of the confusion；
but many of his readers may be so。 If； indeed； the word 〃self…interest〃
could with propriety be used for the gratification of every prevalent desire；
he has clearly shown that this change in the signification of terms would
be of no advantage to the doctrine which he controverts。 It would make
as many sorts of self…interest as there are appetites； and it is irreconcilably
at variance with the system of association proposed by Mr Mill。〃 〃The
admirable writer whose language has occasioned this illustration； who at
an early age has mastered every species of composition； will doubtless
hold fast to simplicity； which survives all the fashions of deviation from it；
and which a man of genius so fertile has few temptations to for sake。〃
When Macaulay selected for publication certain articles of the
Edinburgh Review； he resolved not to publish any of the three essays in
question； for which he assigned the following reason：
〃The author has been strongly urged to insert three papers on the
Utilitarian Philosophy； which； when they first appeared； attracted some
notice； but which are not in the American editions。 He has however
determined to omit these papers； not because he is disposed to retract a
single doctrine which they contain； but because he is unwilling to offer
what might be regarded as an affront to the memory of one from whose
opinions he still widely dissents； but to whose talents and virtues he
admits that he formerly did not do justice。 Serious as are the faults of the
Essay on Government； a critic； while noticing those faults； should have
abstained from using contemptuous language respecting the historian of
British India。 It ought to be known that Mr Mill had the generosity； not
only to forgive； but to forget the unbecoming acrimony with which he had
been assailed； and was； when his valuable life closed； on terms of cordial
friendship with his assailant。〃
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Under these circumstances； considerable doubt has been felt as to the
propriety of republishing the three Essays in the present collection。 But
it has been determined； not without much hesitation； that they should
appear。 It is felt that no disrespect is shown to the memory of Mr Mill；
when the publication is accompanied by so full an apology for the tone
adopted towards him； and Mr Mill himself would have been the last to
wish for the suppression of opinions on the ground that they were in
express antagonism to his own。 The grave has now closed upon the
assailant as well as the assailed。 On the other hand； it cannot but be
desirable that opinions which the author retained to the last； on important
questions in politics and morals； should be before the public。
Some of the poems now collected have already appeared in print；
others are supplied by the recollection of friends。 The first two are
published on account of their having been composed in the author's
childhood。 In the poems； as well as in the prose works； will be
occasionally found thoughts and expressions which have afterwards been
adopted in later productions。
No alteration whatever has been made from the form in which the
author left the several articles； with the exception of some changes in
punctuation； and the correction of one or two obvious misprints。
T。F。E。 London； June 1860。
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY
FRAGMENTS OF A ROMAN
TALE。
（June 1823）
It was an hour after noon。 Ligarius was returning from the Campus
Martius。 He strolled through one of the streets which led to the Forum；
settling his gown； and calculating the odds on the gladiators who were to
fence at the approaching Saturnalia。 While thus occupied； he overtook
Flaminius； who； with a heavy step and a melancholy face； was sauntering
in the same direction。 The light…hearted young man plucked him by the
sleeve。
〃Good…day； Flaminius。 Are you to be of Catiline's party this
evening？〃
〃Not I。〃
〃Why so？ Your little Tarentine girl will break her heart。〃
〃No matter。 Catiline has the best cooks and the finest wine in Rome。
There are charming women at his parties。 But the twelve… line board and
the dice…box pay for all。 The Gods confound me if I did not lose two
millions of sesterces last night。 My villa