Thomas Macaulay, conventionally seen as a Whig, was in fact a trimmer, primarily concerned to reconcile opposing politicians in order to preserve civil order. Danger lay both in ultra Tory reaction or democratic or religious radicalism. Macaulay followed Burke in holding that respect for tradition creates a political environment safe for debate. ‘Noiseless’ revolutions point to correct decisions, and to be too late to make generous concessions is a cardinal policy error. To productively transform a ‘conjuncture’ (i.e., a revolutionary situation) into reform is high statesmanship. Macaulay gained notoriety for interpreting the Great Britain’s constitutional struggles of the 17th and 18th centuries, so as to make them a common (i.e., public) possession; however, his intellectual glosses and programic reading of history reduced his academic stature. Further, his temperament was unsuited for trimming, and although a believer in induction, he also held the progressive’s belief in ends justifying the means. History has no intrinsic use, but ought to be mined for precedent and instruction; more particularly, contra Burke revolution ought to be judged by the consequences, not the substance of events.