Trevelyan, in his life of Macaulay, has thrown out into clear light the object of his uncle in exiling himself from England during four years by going to India. While Macaulay was not without faith that he could be of service to the Government, the consideration which led to his decision was of a pecuniary nature. Though unmarried, he was not in a condition to be strictly independent, and without pecuniary independence, he was open to the charge while in Parliament of being an adventurer. The salary of the position offered was liberal, even in the English sense of that term. He was to receive £10,000 a year; and his letters show with what care he computed that, being a bachelor, he could live in India even in a governmental position on $25,000 a year, and save a similar amount for permanent investment. His hope was that at the end of five years he would be able to return with about $125,000 and henceforth devote himself with entire independence to a higher range of literary study. He had already begun to make plans for his great History. There were, however, those who regarded the appointment as an unmerited reward for political services. When some one sneered at his abilities, Shiel, in his mocking way, replied: “Nonsense, sir! Don’t attempt to run down Macaulay; he’s the cleverest man in Christendom. Didn’t he make four speeches on the Reform Bill and get £10,000 a year? Think of that and be dumb!” While in India Macaulay’s chief energies were devoted to the preparation of a code, by which he hoped to solve the perplexing problems that constantly thrust themselves forward in the government of that teeming peninsula. Though in this effort he was not successful, the ability and ingenuity of his work were generally acknowledged. His code was regarded as impracticable, and was finally rejected. It was during his stay in India that the essays on Mackintosh and Bacon were prepared.