travels to Calcutta, and there sets up house—­Letters to Mr. Napier, and Mrs. Cropper—­Mr. Trevelyan—­Marriage of Hannah Macaulay—­Death of Mrs. Cropper—­ Macaulay’s work in India—­His Minutes for Council—­Freedom of the Press—­Literary gratitude—­Second Minute on the Freedom of the Press—­The Black Act—­A Calcutta public meeting—­Macaulay’s defence of the policy of the Indian Government—­His Minute on Education—­He becomes President of the Committee of Public Instruction—­His industry in discharging the functions of that post—­Specimens of his official writing—­Results of his labours—­ He is appointed President of the Law Commission, and recommends the framing of a Criminal Code—­Appearance of the Code—­Comments of Mr. Fitzjames Stephen—­Macaulay’s private life in India—­ Oriental delicacies—­Breakfast-parties—­Macaulay’s longing for England—­Calcutta and Dublin—­Departure from India—­Letters to Mr. Ellis, Mr. Sharp, Mr. Napier, and Mr. Z. Macaulay.

FROM the moment that a deputation of Falmouth Whigs, headed by their Mayor, came on board to wish Macaulay his health in India and a happy return to England, nothing occurred that broke the monotony of an easy and rapid voyage.  “The catching of a shark; the shooting of an albatross; a sailor tumbling down the hatchway and breaking his head; a cadet getting drunk and swearing at the captain,” are incidents to which not even the highest literary power can impart the charm of novelty in the eyes of the readers of a seafaring nation.  The company on the quarterdeck was much on a level with the average society of an East Indiaman.  “Hannah will give you the histories of all these good people at length, I dare say, for she was extremely social; danced with the gentlemen in the evenings, and read novels and sermons with the ladies in the mornings.  I contented myself with being very civil whenever I was with the other passengers, and took care to be with them as little as I could.  Except at meals, I hardly exchanged a word with any human being.  I never was left for so long a time so completely to my own resources; and I am glad to say that I found them quite sufficient to keep me cheerful and employed.  During the whole voyage I read with keen and increasing enjoyment.  I devoured Greek, Latin, Spanish, Italian, French, and English; folios, quartos, octavos, and duodecimos.”

On the 10th of June the vessel lay to off Madras; and Macaulay had his first introduction to the people for whom he was appointed to legislate in the person of a boatman who pulled through the surf on his raft.  “He came on board with nothing on him but a pointed yellow cap, and walked among us with a self-possession and civility which, coupled with his colour and his nakedness, nearly made me die of laughing.”  This gentleman was soon followed by more responsible messengers, who brought tidings the reverse of welcome.  Lord William Bentinck, who was then Governor-General, was detained by ill-health at Ootacamund in the Neilgherry