Zachary Macaulay's circumstances during these years were good,
and constantly improving. For some time he held the post of
Secretary to the Sierra Leone Company, with a salary of L500 per
annum. He subsequently entered into partnership with a nephew,
and the firm did a large business as African merchants under the
names of Macaulay and Babington. The position of the father was
favourable to the highest interests of his children. A boy has
the best chance of being well brought up in a household where
there is solid comfort, combined with thrift and simplicity; and
the family was increasing too fast to leave any margin for
luxurious expenditure. Before the eldest son had completed his
thirteenth year he had three brothers and five sisters.

[It was in the course of his thirteenth year that the boy wrote
his "Epitaph on Henry Martyn."

Here Martyn lies. In manhood's early bloom
The Christian hero finds a Pagan tomb.
Religion, sorrowing o'er her favourite son,
Points to the glorious trophies that he won.
Eternal trophies! not with carnage red,
Not stained with tears by hapless captives shed,
But trophies of the Cross. For that dear name,
Through every form of danger, death, and shame,
Onward he journeyed to a happier shore,
Where danger, death and shame assault no more."]

In the course of 1812 it began to be evident that Tom had got
beyond the educational capabilities of Clapham; and his father
seriously contemplated the notion of removing to London in order