Thomas B. Macaulay

Thomas B. Macaulay
Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay, PCwas a British historian and Whig politician. He wrote extensively as an essayist and reviewer; his books on British history have been hailed as literary masterpieces. He was a member of the Babington family by virtue of his aunt's marriage to Thomas Babington...
men thinking class
Generalization is necessary to the advancement of knowledge; but particularly is indispensable to the creations of the imagination. In proportion as men know more and think more they look less at individuals and more at classes. They therefore make better theories and worse poems.
mean class people
... it is impossible for us, with our limited means, to attempt to educate the body of the people. We must at present do our best to form a class who may be interpreters between us and the millions whom we govern.
country class population
To that class we may leave it to refine the vernacular dialects of the country, to enrich those dialects with terms of science borrowed from the Western nomenclature, and to render them by degrees fit vehicles for conveying knowledge to the great mass of the population.
country class feelings
At present, the novels which we owe to English ladies form no small part of the literary glory of our country. No class of works is more honorably distinguished for fine observation, by grace, by delicate wit, by pure moral feeling.
days few last novel produce satisfied shall tables unless
I shall not be satisfied unless I produce something that shall for a few days supersede the last fashionable novel on the tables of young ladies.
confusion would-be behinds
Was none who would be foremost To lead such dire attack; But those behind cried "Forward!" And those before cried "Back!
history ends novel
History begins in novel and ends in essay.
drew great hate lord love poetry system wife
From the poetry of Lord Byron they drew a system of ethics, compounded of misanthropy and voluptuousness, in which the two great commandments were, to hate your neighbor, and to love your neighbor's wife
bind chains kings links
Obadiah Bind - their - kings - in - chains - and -their - nobles - with - links - of - iron.
action few foolish greece poor seven single time uttered wise
Few of the many wise apothegms, which have been uttered from the time of the seven sages of Greece to that of poor Richard, have prevented a single foolish action
bridge either hand stand
Now who will stand on either hand / And keep the bridge with me?
cent five heard interest natural per
We have heard it said that five per cent is the natural interest of money.
acre utopia
An acre in Middlesex is better than a principality in Utopia
propensity venture
A propensity which, for want of a better name, we will venture to christen Boswellism.