1856 January 31

Retires from House of Commons

1. - January–February

2. Negotiating for Holly Lodge, Campden Hill

3. - March 13

4. Longman pays £20,000 to TBM's account

5. - March 20–24

6. Easter tour to Rochester and Canterbury

7. - May 2

8. Leaves the Albany for Holly Lodge

9. - May

10. Begins preparation of corrected reprint of History, published in 7 vols., 1857–8, and intended to be the final text

11. - July 30

12. Finishes life of Johnson for Encyclopaedia Britannica

13. - August 20–September 27

14. Italian tour with Ellis: Turin, Milan, Verona, Venice

15. - October 1

16. Begins vol. 5 of History

1857 February

Appointed trustee of National Portrait Gallery

1. - April 9–13

2. Easter tour to Salisbury, Stonehenge, Longleat

3. - July 20–23

4. Attends Manchester Exhibition of the Art Treasures of the United Kingdom

Frances Macaulay 1 January 1856

TO FRANCES MACAULAY, I JANUARY 1856

MS: Trinity College.

Albany London Jany. 1. 1856

Dearest Fanny,

I am astonished at what you tell me. There ought to be a thanksgiving day for my book, and a service prepared by the Archbishop.

We at least have reason to be thankful: for the success has certainly been great, under every disadvantage. Expectation was so extravagant that not to have altogether disappointed it is a triumph. I have a great drawer full of criticisms which Longman sends me. They are generally very laudatory with a mixture of acid. The people of Londonderry seem to be out of their wits.

I shall not give anything to Mr. What d'ye call- […………………] Glamorganshire or Caithnessshire? If he speaks to you again say that I am forced to confine my charities to places with which I have some special connection.