Macaulay also may be ranked among the writers who have formed correct judgments of their own works. ‘I have written,’ he wrote with great candour, to Macvey Napier, ‘several things on historical, political, and moral questions, of which, on the fullest reconsideration, I am not ashamed, and by which I should be willing to be estimated. But I have never written a page of criticism on poetry or the fine arts which I would not burn if I had the power. I leave it to yourself to make the comparison. I am sure that on reflection you will agree with me. Hazlitt used to say of himself, “I am nothing if not critical.” The case with me is directly the reverse. I have a strong and acute enjoyment of great works of the imagination; but I have never habituated myself to dissect them.’ Not less sound was his estimate of his great History. A fortnight before its publication, he wrote in his Diary: ‘The state of my own mind is this: when I compare my own work with what I imagine history ought to be, I feel dejected and ashamed; but when I compare it with some Histories which have a high repute, I feel re-assured.’ At a subsequent stage of the publication, he writes: ‘I dawdled over my book most of the day, sometimes in good, sometimes in bad spirits about it. On the whole, I think that it must do. The only competition, so far as I perceive, it has to dread is that of the two former volumes. Certainly no other History of William’s reign is either so trustworthy or so agreeable.’ The following entry is interesting: ‘I looked through ——’s two volumes. He is, I see, an imitator of me. But I am a very unsafe model. My manner is, I think, and the world thinks, on the whole a good one; but it is very near to a bad manner indeed, and those characteristics of my style which are most easily copied are the most questionable.’ Of all classes of writers, perhaps the most vain are amateur poets and great classical scholars. An amusing instance of conceit in one of the former class is given in Cyrus Redding’s _Recollections_. Once meeting with Colton, the author of _Lacon_, they entered into conversation, and Colton invited him to his house, and quoted many lines from a poem he was composing called _Hypocrisy_. ‘Now,’ said he, ‘do you think any lines of Pope more euphonical than these?’ His conceit at first surprised Redding; but seeing his weak side, he flattered him. ‘Really, they are very good, and very like’—— ‘There, sir; I think these will convince you I write verses of some merit.’