Item 230 - William Whewell to Richard Jones

Trinity Lodge - WW has been working on the historical part of his Morality ['The Elements of Morality, Including Polity', 2 vols., 1845]. This has led him to re-read Hallam's [Henry Hallam] books: 'I am glad to find that they have risen much in my estimation on closer inspection; for I like the man. They are, especially the English Constitution ['Constitutional History of England from Henry VII's Accession to the Death of George II', 1827] a series of condensed, able, lawyer like, or rather judge like discussions of all the principal constitutional questions which are history offers, He is an old Whig and at times rather a stern one; but then he is an old Whig not a new Whig; and I see scarcely any points on which we the constitutional Conservatives are called upon to differ with him'. WW compares his 'judicial gravity and fairness' with the 'sophistical advocacy of Macaulay!' [Thomas Babington Macaulay]. WW can appreciate RJ's disgust at 'The Times' and its treatment of the tithe commutation. WW thinks 'something of the same kind should be done for Ireland with regard to the advantages of the union'.