The History of England, from the Accession of James II — Volume 4

by Thomas Babington Macaulay

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

714 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1855

About the author

Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay PC was an English poet, historian and Whig politician. He wrote extensively as an essayist and reviewer, and on British history. He also held political office as Secretary at War between 1839 and 1841 and Paymaster-General between 1846 and 1848.

As a young man he composed the ballads Ivry and The Armada, which he later included as part of Lays of Ancient Rome, a series of very popular ballads about heroic episodes in Roman history which he composed in India and published in 1842.

During the 1840s he began work on his most famous work, The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, publishing the first two volumes in 1848. At first, he had planned to bring his history down to the reign of George III. After publication of his first two volumes, his hope was to complete his work with the death of Queen Anne in 1714. The third and fourth volumes, bringing the history to the Peace of Ryswick, were published in 1855. However, at his death in 1859, he was working on the fifth volume. This, bringing the History down to the death of William III, was prepared for publication by his sister, Lady Trevelyan, after his death.

Reviews

[Doug McKay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lord Macaulay had so much insight into human nature -- this is more than just history. I know it is a one-sided, Whiggish approach, and I do not mind that at all. I wish he had lived longer to write beyond the death of William. I suppose when I finish the next and last volume, I will have to find someone half as good to finish the eighteenth century.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Macaulay delivers again, with a sweeping tale of how James is finally vanquished, and William is firmly established on the throne of England with peace on all sides. Louis and France are forced to acknowledge him as the ruler, and the English people accept him more fully than ever before. One of my favorite scenes in this volume was the story of William's wife Mary dying. Macaulay tells of the sudden illness and death with such pathos that I was almost crying over a history book! One thing to note is that if you read these books, you absolutely must read the introduction, footnotes, and editorial notes. They add pieces of the story that don't get into the text itself.

[Fred R · Rating 4 out of 5]

After William of Orange's accession to the throne at the end of volume 2, the rest feels like epilogue. I think Macaulay would have been better advised to structure 3&4 like 1, a more wide-ranging, synoptic view of English history, this time covering everything post, rather than pre 17th century.

All of that said, it's really about as good as history gets.

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last completed volume of Macaulay's history is as pleasing and well-written as the other, ending on the triumphant note of the Treaty of Ryswick and the advent of peace. I'm looking forward to knocking out the final, incomplete fifth volume and enjoying my own victory over this hefty classic.