So you are reading Burnet!  Did you begin from the beginning?  What do you think of the old fellow?  He was always a great favourite of mine; honest, though careless; a strong party man on the right side, yet with much kind feeling towards his opponents, and even towards his personal enemies.  He is to me a most entertaining writer; far superior to Clarendon in the art of amusing, though of course far Clarendon’s inferior in discernment, and in dignity and correctness of style.  Do you know, by the bye, Clarendon’s life of himself?  I like it, the part after the Restoration at least, better than his great History.

I am very quiet; rise at seven or half-past; read Spanish till ten; breakfast; walk to my office; stay there till four; take a long walk, dine towards seven; and am in bed before eleven.  I am going through Don Quixote again, and admire it more than ever.  It is certainly the best novel in the world, beyond all comparison.

Ever yours

T. B. M.

To Hannah M. Macaulay.

London:  October 21, 1833.

My dear Sister,—­Grant is here at last, and we have had a very long talk about matters both public and private.  The Government would support my appointment; but he expects violent opposition from the Company.  He mentioned my name to the Chairs, and they were furious.  They know that I have been against them through the whole course of the negotiations which resulted in the India Bill.  They put their opposition on the ground of my youth,—­a very flattering objection to a man who this week completes his thirty-third year.  They spoke very highly of me in other respects; but they seemed quite obstinate.

The question now is whether their opposition will be supported by the other Directors.  If it should be so, I have advised Grant most strongly to withdraw my name, to put up some other man, and then to fight the battle to the utmost.  We shall be suspected of jobbing if we proceed to extremities on behalf of one of ourselves; but we can do what we like, if it is in favour of some person whom we cannot be suspected of supporting from interested motives.  From the extreme unreasonableness and pertinacity which are discernible in every communication that we receive from the India House at present, I am inclined to think that I have no chance of being chosen by them, without a dispute in which I should not wish the Government to engage for such a purpose.  Lord Grey says that I have a right to their support if I ask for it; but that, for the sake of his administration generally, he is very adverse to my going.  I do not think that I shall go.  However, a few days will decide the matter.

I have heard from Napier.  He praises my article on Walpole in terms absolutely extravagant.  He says that it is the best that I ever wrote; and, entre nous, I am not very far from agreeing with him.  I am impatient to have your opinion.  No flattery pleases me so much as domestic flattery.  You will have the Number within the week.