and anyone else would call brutality, by the very proper remark
that he had no notion of people being in earnest in good
professions if their practice belied them. When we think what
well-known ground this was to Lord Macaulay, it is impossible to
suppress a wish that the great talker had been at hand to avenge
his grandfather and grand-uncle. Next morning "Mr. Macaulay
breakfasted with us, nothing hurt or dismayed by his last night's
correction. Being a man of good sense he had a just admiration of
Dr. Johnson." He was rewarded by seeing Johnson at his very best,
and hearing him declaim some of the finest lines that ever were
written in a manner worthy of his subject.

There is a tradition that, in his younger days, the minister of
Inverary proved his Whiggism by giving information to the
authorities which almost led to the capture of the young
Pretender. It is perhaps a matter of congratulation that this
item was not added to the heavy account that the Stuarts have
against the Macaulay family. John Macaulay enjoyed a high
reputation as a preacher, and was especially renowned for his
fluency. In 1774 he removed to Cardross in Dumbartonshire, where,
on the bank of the noble estuary of the Clyde, he spent the last
fifteen years of a useful and honoured life. He was twice
married. His first wife died at the birth of his first child.
Eight years afterwards, in 1757, he espoused Margaret, daughter
of Colin Campbell of Inveresragan, who survived him by a single
year. By her he had the patriarchal number of twelve children,
whom he brought up on the old Scotch system,--common to the
households of minister, man of business, farmer, and peasant
alike,--on fine air, simple diet, and a solid training in
knowledge human and divine. Two generations after, Mr. Carlyle,