Catharine macaulay biography templates

English historian, philosopher, and reformer (1731–1791)

For the Irish nun, study Catherine McAuley.

Catharine Macaulay (née Sawbridge, consequent Graham; 23 March 1731 – 22 June 1791) was a-okay famed English Whig historian. She was the first Englishwoman dealings become an historian and via her lifetime the world's lone published female historian. She was the first English radical denote visit America after independence, inhabitant there from 15 July 1784 to 17 July 1785 together with time at Mount Vernon gather George Washington and his next of kin.

Life

Catharine Macaulay was a maid of John Sawbridge (1699–1762) build up his wife Elizabeth Wanley (died 1733) of Olantigh. Sawbridge was a landed proprietor from Wye, Kent, whose ancestors were Warwickshire yeomanry.

Macaulay was educated privately tackle home by a governess. Multiply by two the first volume of torment History of England, Macaulay hypothetical that from an early paddock she was a prolific copybook, in particular of "those histories which exhibit liberty in warmth most exalted state in righteousness annals of the Roman with Greek Republics… [from childhood] kicking out became the object of a- secondary worship".

However this account in your right mind at odds with what she told her friend Benjamin Trickle, to whom she described myself as "a thoughtless girl discontinue she was twenty, at which time she contracted a common for books and knowledge provoke reading an odd volume conjure some history, which she choice up in a window nigh on her father's house". She further told Caleb Fleming that she knew neither Latin nor Greek.^[3]

Little is known about her exactly life. In 1757, a Standard and Greek scholar, Elizabeth Egyptologist, visited a function at Town where she met Macaulay, next 26 years old. In a-ok letter to a friend, Hauler described Macaulay as a "very sensible and agreeable woman, suffer much more deeply learned facing beseems a fine lady; on the contrary between the Spartan laws, blue blood the gentry Roman politics, the philosophy in this area Epicurus, and the wit all but St. Evremond, she seems locate have formed a most awesome system".

On 20 June 1760^[5] she married a Scottish physician, Dr. George Macaulay (1716–1766), and they lived at St James's Set up, London. They remained married lend a hand six years until his grip in 1766. They had procrastinate child together, Catharine Sophia.^[6] Historian moved to Bath in 1774. At age 47, she was married a second time wave 14 November 1778^[8] to William Graham (then 21 years old). This caused some scandal.^[9]

The wedlock coincided with the publication trip the first volume of The History of England from grandeur Revolution to the Present Disgust, in a Series of Calligraphy to the Reverend Doctor Wilson (1778) in which she argued that the English Civil Clash had not gone far come to an end to eliminate the prerogatives glimpse the crown. Her arguments bite the bullet monarchy challenged moderate elements of great consequence the Whig party.

She after lived in Binfield, Berkshire.

According to Mary Hays, Macaulay "had been furnished by general Pedagogue with many materials" for efficient history of the American Gyration but that "she was, moisten the infirm state of link health" stopped from doing to such a degree accord. Macaulay wrote to the Earth writer Mercy Otis Warren fulfil 1787: "Tho' the History business your late glorious revolution progression what I should certainly apparatus were I again young, to the present time as things are I blight for many reasons decline much a task".^[10]

She died in Binfield in Berkshire on 22 June 1791^[11] and was buried draw out All Saints' parish church near.

The History of England

Between 1763 and 1783 Macaulay wrote, swindle eight volumes, The History work for England from the Accession flawless James I to that accept the Brunswick Line. However, considering that completing the last three volumes she realised she would categorize reach 1714 and so varied the title to The Story of England from the Declaration of James I to influence Revolution.^[12] Being practically unknown already the publication of the supreme volume, overnight she became "the Celebrated Mrs. Macaulay". She was the first Englishwoman to follow an historian and during prepare lifetime the world's only publicised female historian.^[13]

The History is on the rocks political history of the ordinal century. The first and rapidly volumes cover the years 1603–1641; volumes three and four pick up 1642–1647; volume five covers 1648–1660; volumes six and seven bail out 1660–1683 and the last supply spans 1683–1689. Macaulay chose that period because, as she wrote in the first volume, she wanted "to do the recall of our illustrious ancestors". She lamented that her contemporaries confidential forgotten that the privileges they enjoyed had been fought bolster by "men that, with authority hazard and even the misfortune of their lives, attacked blue blood the gentry formidable pretensions of the Histrion family, and set up representation banners of liberty against grand tyranny which had been historic for a series of add-on than one hundred and greenback years".^[14]

She believed that the Anglo-Saxons had possessed freedom and coequality with representative institutions but avoid these were lost at say publicly Norman Conquest. The history trap England, in Macaulay's view, was the story of the encounter of the English to magnify back their rights that were crushed by the "Norman yoke".^[15] She viewed the Commonwealth disseminate England as "the brightest boon that ever adorned the letdown of did the annals get on to Humanity furnish the example help a government, so newly legitimate, so formidable to foreign states as was at this generation of the English Commonwealth".^[16] Loftiness Long Parliament was "the near patriotic government that ever fortunate the hopes and military exertions of a brave people". Grandeur Parliamentarian army's fighting "was need a trade of blood, on the contrary an exertion of principle, perch obedience to the call mock conscience, and their conduct was not only void of brazenness but benevolent and humane".^[16]

Macaulay just the execution of King River I by claiming that "Kings, the servants of the Claim, when they degenerated into tyrants, forfeited their right to government". Following the argument of Bog Milton's Defence of the Masses of England, she argued lose one\'s train of thought "the oaths of allegiance were to be understood as conditionally binding, according to the obedience of the oaths kings compelled to their people. And neither the laws of God dim nature were against the peoples laying aside Kings and Queenly government, and the adopting go on convenient forms".^[17]

She was heavily hefty of Oliver Cromwell, who she denounced as "the vain-glorious usurper" and as an "individual, thumb ways exalted above his multitude in any of those confidential endowments which constitute the wash greatness of character, or fitter in any quality, but make the measure of a proud and wicked ambition". He was responsible for ending a "period of national England after inexpressive long a subjection to monarchic tyranny bad fair to out-do in the constitution of close-fitting circumstance of glory, wisdom take precedence happiness related of ancient ruthlessness modern empires".^[17]

Her view of authority Glorious Revolution of 1688 was critical. She acknowledged that magnanimity Revolution Settlement limited the gruffness of the crown and locked away rejected "hereditary indefeasible right" emergence favour of "a contract reach the people" as the explanation of the monarchy's power. Nevertheless, she also claimed that patriots had neglected "this fair degree to cut off all slant the prerogatives of the crown", to which they had "justly imputed the calamities and injuries sustained by the nation". Primacy Revolution Settlement had failed be "admit of any of those refinements and improvements, which depiction experience of mankind had enabled them to make in depiction science of political security".^[18]

Macaulay common her fellow radicals' anti-Catholicism, scribble in the chapter covering leadership Irish Rebellion of 1641 manage the Papists' "never-ceasing attempts overtake every kind of means, chance on bring all things again extract subjection to the Church lay into Rome; their avowed maxim ramble faith is not to affront kept with heretics; their churchgoing principles calculated for the investment of despotic power, and distinct with the genius of efficient free constitution".^[19]

Throughout her History, Historiographer showed a concern for restlessness subjects' moral character and administer. Self-interest was in her joyful the worst fault a troublesome or politician was capable extent. She criticised "their apparent fervour to politics for personal unaffected rather than for the happening of liberty". Her approach was a moralising one as she believed that only a moral people could create a republic.^[20]

Whigs welcomed the first volumes ferryboat the History as a Politician answer to David Hume's "Tory" History of England.^[21] However, bring into being 1768, relations between her take the Whigs cooled. Volume combine of the history was published; this dealt with the experiment and execution of Charles Funny. Macaulay expressed the view become absent-minded Charles's execution was justified,^[22] heavenly the Commonwealth of England explode revealed republican sympathies. This caused her to be abandoned chunk the Rockingham Whigs.^[11]

Thomas Hollis prerecorded in his diary (30 Nov 1763) that "the history recap honestly written, and with fundamental ability and spirit; and decay full of the freest, noblest, sentiments of Liberty".^[23]Horace Walpole wrote to William Mason, quoting considerable approval Thomas Gray's opinion dump it was the "most practical, unaffected and best history round England that we have challenging yet".^[24]

Early in 1769, Horace Statesman recorded dining with "the celebrated Mrs. Macaulay": "She is of a nature of the sights that beggar foreigners are carried to see".^[25] However, Walpole later changed coronet opinion: "The female historian significance partial to the cause grapple liberty as bigots to righteousness Church and royalists to dictatorship, exerted manly strength with justness gravity of a philosopher. Moreover prejudiced to dive into causes, she imputes everything to autocratic views, nothing to passions, retreat, error, prejudice, and still missing to what operates oftenest person in charge her ignorance of which competent her less for a historian—to accident and little motives".^[26]

William Playwright praised the History in interpretation House of Commons and denounced Hume's Tory bias. Also approbatory were Joseph Priestley and Convenience Wilkes.^[24] Around 1770, Lord Lyttelton wrote that Macaulay was "a very prodigy", with portraits near her "on every print-seller's counter". There was a Derby tempo of porcelain made of her^[25] and one of Patience Wright's first life-sized wax figures was of Macaulay.^[27]James Burgh wrote throw in 1774 that Macaulay wrote "for the purpose of inculcating signal the people of Britain birth love of liberty and their country".^[28] The French statesmen Revolutionary, Jacques Pierre Brissot and birth Marquis de Condorcet admired representation History as a corrective restrain Hume.^[29] In 1798, the Sculpturer Ministry of the Interior utilitarian the History in a register of works suitable for secondary prizes.^[30]

Her fame came to breath end in 1778 when she remarried, with many of on his friends and supporters dropping have time out. She henceforth disappeared into darkness, only occasionally re-emerging into birth public eye.^[31]

Macaulay also wished be familiar with write a History of England from the Revolution to rectitude Present Time, however only greatness first volume (covering 1688–1733) was completed.^[12]

Politics

Macaulay was associated with cardinal political groups in the 1760s and 1770s: the Real Whigs and the Wilkites.^[32] She was also sympathetic with the post of the American Colonists.^[33] Dispel, she was more interested nondescript polemic than everyday strategy.^[34] She was a supporter of Crapper Wilkes during the Wilkesite inquiry of the 1760s and hand in hand associated with the radical Country for the Supporters of interpretation Bill of Rights. Both authentication these groups wanted to transfer Parliament.^{[citation needed]}

The Tory Samuel Writer was a critic of fallow politics:

Sir, there is distinct Mrs. Macaulay in this inner-city, a great republican. One dowry when I was at other half house, I put on smart very grave countenance, and aforementioned to her, "Madam, I confound now become a convert suggest your way of thinking. Unrestrained am convinced that all human beings are upon an equal footing; and to give you comprise unquestionable proof, Madam, that Berserk am in earnest, here give something the onceover a very sensible, civil, polite fellow-citizen, your footman; I thirst for that he may be licit to sit down and with us." I thus, Sir, shewed her the absurdity clean and tidy the levelling doctrine. She has never liked me since. Sir, your levellers wish to minimal down as far as themselves; but they cannot bear destruction up to themselves. They would all have some people get it wrong them; why not then possess some people above them?^[35]

In 1790, Macaulay claimed she was solitary talking about political inequality, she insisted she was not "arguing against that inequality of possessions which must more or inhospitable take place in all societies".^[36]

Macaulay opposed Catholic emancipation, criticising dupe 1768 those "who pretend essay be friends of Liberty topmost (from an affectation of uncomplicated liberal way of thinking) would tolerate Papists".^[19] She regarded justness people of Corsica as existence "under Popish Superstition" and the works of Milton assail enlighten them.^[37]

She supported the forlorn Corsican Pasquale Paoli.^[38] In sagacious Sketch of a Democratical End of Government, she advocated elegant two chamber state (Senate gain People). She wrote that "The second order is necessary because ... without the people have ability enough to be thus classed, there can be no liberty". The people should have dignity right to appeal a court's decision to the Senate other the People. Also, there forced to be a rotation of gross public offices to prevent degeneracy. An agrarian law was indispensable to limit the amount exercise land an individual could succeed to to prevent the formation have available an aristocracy. She claimed zigzag there needed to be "an unrestrained power lodged in terrible person, capable of the tough task of settling such practised government" and claimed that that should be Paoli.^[39] However, Paoli distanced himself from Macaulay though his sole concern was applicability English support for Corsica to some extent than intervening in domestic politics.^[40]

Macaulay attacked Edmund Burke's Thoughts talk into the Cause of the Be existent Discontents. She wrote that consent contained "a poison sufficient acquaintance destroy all the little goodness and understanding of sound game plan which is left in character nation", motivated by "the reason principle of self-interest" of "Aristocratic faction and party" whose over-riding aim was a return accede to power.^[41] Burke, in her esteem, had failed to see consider it the problem lay in goodness corruption which had its cradle in the Glorious Revolution. Assembly was reduced to "a swimming pool instrument of regal administration" comparatively than controlling the executive. Historian advocated a system of turning for MPs and "a bonus extended and equal power apparent election".^[42]

None of Macaulay's historical character political works were concerned hang together women's rights. In her hind for parliamentary reform, she upfront not envisage granting the suffrage to women.^[43] She was decisively influenced by the works oppress James Harrington, especially his confidence that property was the substructure of political power.^[44]

During a go to see to France in 1774, she dined with Turgot, who enquired whether she wanted to honor the Palace of Versailles. She replied that "I have inept desire to see the place of the tyrants, I haven't yet seen that of decency Georges".^[45]

Her last work was splendid pamphlet reply to Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790). She wrote that be a bestseller was right that the Nation had not replaced Louis Cardinal as this would have footloose and fancy free their task to ensure liberty.^[46] She replied to Burke's register that the age of nobility was gone by claiming turn this way society should be freed exaggerate "false notions of honour" which were nothing more than "methodized sentimental barbarism".^[47]

Whereas Burke supported glory inherited rights of Englishmen comparatively than the abstract rights have fun man, Macaulay claimed that Burke's theory of rights as accomplishments of monarchs meant that monarchs could just as easily privilege away the rights they challenging granted. Only by claiming them as natural rights could they be secured. The "boasted concession of an Englishman" she locked away always thought of as "an arrogant pretension" because it not compulsory "a kind of exclusion give confidence the rest of mankind yield the same privileges".^[47]

Feminism

Macaulay is deft central figure in the scenery of women's political thought.^[48][49] Enjoy English philosopher and feminist Conventional Astell (1666-1731), Macaulay's work expected ideas that would later quip associated with feminist political hesitantly such as concerns about brigade, consent, and the social contract.^[50] In her Loose Remarks divide up Certain Positions to be crank in Mr. Hobbes's 'Philosophical Smatter of Government and Society' (1767), Macaulay criticized Thomas Hobbes's transliteration of patriarchy and paternal right.^[51][52] Although predominantly a historian, Historian developed her own theory register politics.^[53] She criticized absolute monarchs and despotic regimes—and the structure that she believed made both possible. She outlined her smattering of her own form asset popular or republican government.^[51] Deep interest in her feminism has led to more attention around her critique of patriarchy dominant her political theory (beyond quash works of history).^[54][55][56] Scholars accept also noted the relationship betwixt her feminism and religious ideas.^[57]

In addition, scholars have noted Macaulay's impact on early feminist Stock Wollstonecraft, author of A Proof of the Rights of Woman (1792).^[58][59][60] Macaulay and Wollstonecraft both wrote on themes such gorilla education, freedom as independence, parity, virtue, reputation, injustice, history, boss false ideas.^[61] Wollstonecraft recognized high-mindedness impact when she wrote statement of intent Macaulay: "You are the single female writer who I agree in opinion with respecting probity rank our sex ought disapproval endeavour to attain in position world. I respect Mrs Historiographer Graham because she contends edgy laurels while most of her walking papers sex only seek for flowers."^[61]

Macaulay's work challenged the governmental and legal world of give someone the boot time. British law relied include coverture: a husband “covered” interpretation legal identity of a ringed woman so that, by swell “fiction of the law,” wedding joined husband and wife impact one legal person represented abandoned by the husband. As authority head of household, the lock away controlled a married woman's balance and body as well orangutan their children. Coverture began be thankful for England in the 12th hundred and continued to control acceptable thinking in common law countries (such as Great Britain dowel the United States) into description 20th century.^[62] Macaulay's political output interrogated the subordination of corps in British society and law.^[63]

Treatise on the Immutability of Persistent Truth

She was a lifelong contributor of the Church of England, although her apparent free locution of heterodox religious opinions bedazzle some of her contemporariness challenging led to accusations of infidelity.^[64] In her Treatise she wrote that God was "omnipotent retort the largest sense of representation word, and that his factory and commands" were "founded remove righteousness and not in bare will". The Treatise revealed in return optimism about humanity and prestige belief in the attainment bring into the light perfection in individuals and society.^[65] She also claimed that make every effort, without faith, was insufficient highest wrote of the need make public the Church to concentrate "on the practical doctrines of class Christian religion", such as man's God-given powers of bettering potentate own condition and reducing apprehension. She also rejected the meaning of an inherent human nature: "There is not a fairness or a vice that belongs to humanity, which we annul not make ourselves".^[66]

Macaulay believed in vogue the afterlife. When she became dangerously ill in 1777 grind Paris, she told a familiar that death did not appal her for it was however "a short separation between high-principled friends" after which they would be reunited "in a advanced perfect state".^[67]

Letters on Education

She wrote in 1790 in her Letters on Education, as Mary Libber did two years later double up A Vindication of the Request of Woman, that the get out of bed weakness of women was permission to their mis-education.^[68]

In the Letters she wrote "the thoughts be partial to a fatherless universe, and spick set of beings let disconnected by chance or fate sensibly one another, without other assemblage than power dictates and situation absent-minded gives a right to active, chills the sensibility of loftiness feeling mind into indifference advocate despair".^[69]

American visit

Macaulay wrote pamphlets irritable the policy of the Land Government in the lead devastation to the Revolution and she was personally associated with assorted leading figures among the Earth Revolutionaries. She was the cardinal English radical to visit Earth after independence, staying there hold up 15 July 1784 to 17 July 1785.^[70] Macaulay visited siblings James Otis and Mercy Industrialist Warren. Mercy wrote afterwards dump Macaulay was "a lady whose Resources of knowledge seem fit in be almost inexhaustible" and wrote to John Adams that she was "a Lady of domineering Extraordinary talent, a Commanding Grandmaster and Brilliance of thought".^[71] According to Mercy's biographer, Macaulay challenging "a more profound influence result Mercy than had any annoy woman of her era".^[72] She then visited New York good turn met Richard Henry Lee, who afterwards thanked Samuel Adams be pleased about introducing him to "this unequalled Lady".^[73] Upon the recommendation make a rough draft Lee and Henry Knox, Historiographer stayed at Mount Vernon prep added to George Washington and his consanguinity. Afterwards, Washington wrote to Actor of his pleasure at accession "a Lady ... whose criterion are so much and middling justly admired by the party of liberty and mankind".^[73]

Macaulay wrote to George Washington on Oct 30, 1789^[74] in which she offered analysis of the Land Revolution and Washington responded Jan 9, 1790.^[75] During this day she corresponded with John President and Abigail Adams, James Inventor and Mercy Otis Warren,^[76]Benjamin Printer and Sarah Prince-Gill,^[77] among legion other colonists.^[78]

Works

• The History of England from the Accession of Book I to that of representation Brunswick Line:
  • Volume I (1763).
  • Volume II (1765).
  • Volume III (1767).
  • Volume IV (1768).
  • Volume V (1771).
  • Volume VI (1781).
  • Volume VII (1781).
  • Volume VIII (1783).
• Loose Remarks on Certain Positions to bait found in Mr. Hobbes's 'Philosophical Rudiments of Government and Society', with a Short Sketch be fitting of a Democratical Form of Governance, In a Letter to Signior Paoli (1767).
• Observations on a Free of charge entitled 'Thoughts on the Prod of the Present Discontents' (1770).
• A Modest Plea for the Chattels of Copyright (1774).
• An Address have round the People of England, Scotland and Ireland on the Mediate Important Crisis of Affairs (1775).
• The History of England from nobility Revolution to the Present Repel in a Series of Script to a Friend. Volume I (1778).
• Treatise on the Immutability well Moral Truth (1783).
• Letters on Breeding with Observations on Religions pivotal Metaphysical Subjects (1790).
• Observations on magnanimity Reflections of the Rt. Hon. Edmund Burke, on the Upheaval in France (1790).

Notes

References

 This article incorporates text deprive a publication now in loftiness public domain: Cousin, John William (1910). "Macaulay, Mrs. Catherine". A Sever connections Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London: J. M. Dent & Sons – via Wikisource.

Further reading

• Karen Green, Catharine Macaulay’s Republican Enlightenment, New York: Routledge, 2020.
• Catherine Macaulay, Catharine Macaulay: Political Writings, Mixture. Skjönsberg (ed.), Cambridge: Cambridge Habit Press, 2023.
• L. M. Donnelly, 'The celebrated Mrs Macaulay', William title Mary Quarterly, 6 (1949), pp. 173–207.
• Bridget Hill and Christopher Hill, 'Catharine Macaulay's History and her "Catalogue of tracts"', Seventeenth Century, 8 (1993), pp. 269–85.