Audiobook · read by volunteers
History of England, from the Accession of James II - (Volume 1, Chapter 01)
Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800–1859)
Read by Chip, Jim Mowatt, Kara Shallenberg (1969-2023), Dilini Jayasinghe, Aaron Hochwimmer · 14 chapters · 5 h 41
About the book
Thomas Babington Macaulay's History of England begins in an unusual place: not with the reign it is named after, but with a long survey of what came before. This first chapter of the first volume sketches the story of England from its early days through the Stuart kings and sets the stage for the events of 1685. Macaulay is particularly interested in the long struggle over the divine right of kings and in the gradual growth of the powers of Parliament. He writes with confidence, vivid detail and a flair for the dramatic phrase. Chip, Jim Mowatt, Kara Shallenberg and two further LibriVox volunteers share the fourteen parts of this recording, which lasts around five and three-quarter hours.
Introduction
Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1859) was an English historian, essayist and politician. He served in Parliament and held office in the government, and he spent some years in India, where he helped reshape the legal and educational system. He is best remembered for his History of England from the Accession of James II, the first volumes of which appeared in 1848 and became an immediate bestseller.
The work set out to tell the story of England from 1685 onward, and its opening chapter provides a summary of earlier history. Macaulay was a staunch supporter of the Whig view of the past, which saw the nation's story as one of steady progress toward liberty and constitutional government. Later historians have questioned that interpretation, and have pointed out its partisan edge. Yet the History remains admired for its narrative energy, its richly drawn characters and its sense of occasion.
This LibriVox recording contains the first chapter of volume one in fourteen sections, with a total running time of about five and three-quarter hours. A group of volunteers shares the reading, which gives variety to what might otherwise be a very long text. It is a good choice for those who enjoy history told as a story and who do not mind an author with strong opinions. For listeners who want to know how the Victorians understood the English past, it is a fascinating document.
Public domain
Thomas Babington Macaulay died in 1859: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text