of some of them.  My greatest pleasure, in the midst of all this praise, is to think of the pleasure which my success will give to my father and my sisters.  It is happy for me that ambition has in my mind been softened into a kind of domestic feeling, and that affection has at least as much to do as vanity with my wish to distinguish myself.  This I owe to my dear mother, and to the interest which she always took in my childish successes.  From my earliest years, the gratification of those whom I love has been associated with the gratification of my own thirst for fame, until the two have become inseparably joined in my mind.

Ever yours

T. B. M.

To Hannah M Macaulay

London:  July 8, 1831.

My dear Sister,—­Do you want to hear all the compliments that are paid to me?  I shall never end, if I stuff my letters with them; for I meet nobody who does not give me joy.  Baring tells me that I ought never to speak again.  Howick sent a note to me yesterday to say that his father wished very much to be introduced to me, and asked me to dine with them yesterday, as, by great good luck, there was nothing to do in the House of Commons.  At seven I went to Downing Street, where Earl Grey’s official residence stands.  It is a noble house.  There are two splendid drawing-rooms, which overlook St. James’s Park.  Into these I was shown.  The servant told me that Lord Grey was still at the House of Lords, and that her Ladyship had just gone to dress.  Howick had not mentioned the hour in his note.  I sate down, and turned over two large portfolios of political caricatures.  Earl Grey’s own face was in every print.  I was very much diverted.  I had seen some of them before; but many were new to me, and their merit is extraordinary.  They were the caricatures of that remarkably able artist who calls himself H. B. In about half an hour Lady Georgiana Grey, and the Countess, made their appearance.  We had some pleasant talk, and they made many apologies.  The Earl, they said, was unexpectedly delayed by a question which had arisen in the Lords.  Lady Holland arrived soon after, and gave me a most gracious reception; shook my hand very warmly, and told me, in her imperial decisive manner, that she had talked with all the principal men on our side about my speech, that they all agreed that it was the best that had been made since the death of Fox, and that it was more like Fox’s speaking than anybody’s else.  Then she told me that I was too much worked, that I must go out of town, and absolutely insisted on my going to Holland House to dine, and take a bed, on the next day on which there is no Parliamentary business.  At eight we went to dinner.  Lord Howick took his father’s place, and we feasted very luxuriously.  At nine Lord Grey came from the House with Lord Durham, Lord Holland, and the Duke of Richmond.  They dined on the remains of our dinner with great expedition, as they had to go to a Cabinet Council at ten.  Of course I had scarcely any talk with Lord Grey.  He was, however, extremely polite to me, and so were his colleagues.  I liked the ways of the family.