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 leader of the ‘Clapham sect.’ He soon afterwards obtained rooms in the old court of the college, between the gate and the chapel. Among his friends were Derwent and Henry Nelson Coleridge, W. M. Praed, Sidney Walker, Moultrie, Lord Grey, Lord Belper, and Lord Romilly (the titles are of a later date), and above all, Charles Austin [q. v.], who was the eldest and the intellectual leader of the set. Austin and Macaulay discussed utilitarianism, and all the political questions of the day. They made speeches at the Union, evading, at little cost of ingenuity, the rule which forbade a discussion of public affairs later than those of the last century. Macaulay at first inclined to the tory politics of his father's friends. Austin made him a partial convert to radicalism, but he left college a thorough whig. Intense enjoyment of converse with youthful intellects, awake to all literary and intellectual movements, rather distracted Macaulay from the official course of study. He had not acquired the art of classical composition as taught at public schools, and heartily disliked the practice. He won, however, a prize for Latin declamation at Trinity, and in 1821 gained a Craven scholarship, in company with Malden and George Long (afterwards professor). He also won the English prize-poem in 1819 (on ‘Pompeii’), and in 1821 (on ‘Evening’). Mathematical studies were totally uncongenial to his mind, and he was in consequence ‘gulphed,’ i.e. refused honours, though allowed to pass in the mathematical tripos of 1822. He was therefore disqualified for competing for the chancellor's medals, then the most coveted classical prizes. Later in the year he won the annual college prize for an essay on the character of William III, and already gave a sample of his distinctive style. He was elected a fellow of Trinity on 1 Oct. 1824, having failed on the two previous trials. He apparently spent most of his vacations at Cambridge, though he joined a reading party at Lanrwst, Denbighshire, in 1821; and he preserved through life an affection for his old college, which prompted occasionally a half regret that he had not settled down to the life of a resident don.

When Macaulay went to college his father was in prosperous circumstances. Macaulay was encouraged to expect that he would have the portion of an eldest son, and be independent of a profession. During his college career his father's business had suffered, and in 1823 he had thought it desirable to take a couple of pupils while reading for his fellowship. In 1823 the family settled in 50 Great Ormond Street, where they lived till 1831. Macaulay lived with them till 1829, when he took chambers in 8 South Square, Gray's Inn (since pulled down to make room for the library). He was called to the bar in 1826, and joined the northern circuit. He took part in the bar convivialities, but never obtained, or apparently desired to obtain, any business. After a year or two he gave up the practice of studying law, and passed his time at the House of Commons instead of the courts. He had already taken to literature; and had distinguished himself by a speech at a meeting of the Anti-slavery Society on 25 June 1824, which was highly praised in the ‘Edinburgh Review.’ In 1823 he had begun his literary career by contributing to ‘Knight's Quarterly Magazine,’ started by Charles Knight [q. v.], and supported by some of his college friends. His father was startled by some articles in the magazine which were not adapted for the ‘Christian Observer,’ and Macaulay withdrew, in deference to an apparently unreasonable prohibition. He wrote again upon its speedy withdrawal, but the magazine soon died. Macaulay had meanwhile been invited to try his hand in the ‘Edinburgh.’ His first article (upon Milton) appeared in August 1825. Jeffrey welcomed it with enthusiasm, saying, ‘The more I think, the less I can conceive where you picked up that style!’ and Macaulay at once gained a popularity which was to increase with every subsequent publication. He became a regular contributor, and soon a mainstay of the review. His articles eclipsed all others, and were almost invariably the most telling in the number. He was invited to take the editorship upon Jeffrey's retirement, and would have consented (, Life, 1 vol. edit., p. 135) if the headquarters had been moved to London. Brougham opposed a plan which would have diminished his own influence. His jealousy had been aroused by Macaulay's success, and Macvey Napier, when he succeeded to the editorship, had to suffer under the angry remonstrances of each of his chief contributors against the favour shown to the other. Macaulay's most remarkable articles at this time were perhaps those directed against James Mill, which he declined to reprint during his lifetime, on account of their ‘unbecoming acrimony’ towards Mill, who was afterwards a cordial friend. This, and the articles upon Sadler and Southey's colloquies, show that he was not only a thorough whig, but pretty much convinced that all but whigs were fools. His growing fame was shown by the rough assault from ‘Christopher North’ in ‘Blackwood's Magazine.’ In 1828 he