The History of England from the Accession of James II is a work of epic scale covering only a short period of history. He briefly sketches out Britain’s history up until the Civil War and then he focuses more closely on the Stuart Kings leading up to a moment that he considers pivotal, that being ‘The Glorious Revolution’ of 1688. It’s a history that looks back on the growth of Liberalism (or Whiggism) as the culmination of all that England could want or hope to be. It has been criticised many times for this narrow focus but frankly this sells Macaulay’s work short.
He is a great writer who gives out his history as a grand performance. It is Macaulay who popularised history to such an extent that his books became ubiquitous throughout the homes of the literate during the Victorian era. His language is glorious, his rhetoric, awe inspiring, his vision, delightful.
Explore the 17th century and let Macaulay be your guide. You won’t regret it. Macaulay's prose is a thing of beauty. It is delightful to read and similarly delightful to listen to. (25 chapters in all; a work in progress)
(Summary by Jim Mowatt)
