Published Dec 1,1782,by IFielding Paternoster Row, I.Debrett Piccadilly, k 1.Sewell, Cornhill, From an Original Painting by Kettle, in the Pafsession of Kaitland. ANECDOTES OF WARREN HASTINGS, Esq; GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF BENGAL; (With an elegant ENGRAVING of his HEAD, from a Painting by Mr. KETTLE, in the Poffeffion of Mr. MAITLAND.) WA ARREN HASTINGS, Efq; the prefent governor-general of Bengal, is a gentleman, who, in the midft of peculation, avarice, and oppreffion, has deported himself with fo much propriety, moderation, and ability, as to intitle him to the refpect of mankind in general, and the particular acknowledgments of a people whofe profperity and welfare have been carefully attended to during his adminiftration over them. He is defcended from a very ancient and refpectable family at Darlsford, in the county of Worcester, where his ancestors for many centuries poffeffed an eftate. He was born in the year 1730, and received his education at Westminster School. At this feminary he early exhibited marks of a more than cominon genius, and attracted the notice of Dr. Nichols, the mafter, in a particular manner. His acquifitions in literature did credit as well to the preceptor as the pupil; and when he left Weftminster, he was efteemed one of the beft fcholars of that period. In the year 1750 he was appointed a writer in the fervice of the Eall-India Company at Bengal ; and foon after his arrival in that kingdom, he applied himfelf with great alliduity and attention to acquire the Perfian and Hindoftan languages, in which he fucceeded in fo great a degree, that he was felected as the propereft perfon to attempt the eftablishing of a Factory in the interior parts of Bengal, where no European had hitherto appeared; and though the scheme proved unfuccefsful, he conciliated the efteem of the natives in fuch a manner, that when he was taken prifoner by the troops of Surajah Dowlah, they fhewed their refpe&t for him by treating him with' fingular marks of humanity and attention. In a fhort time the fortune of war changed, and Surajah Dowlah, who had aimed at the deftruction of the English in that part of the world, exhibited a moft ftriking inftance of the uncertainty of human affairs. From a ftate of the highest profperity he funk to the most abject point of mifery; he was defeated, dethroned, and in the end murdered by his fuccellor Meer Jaffier, in whofe court it became necellary to have a refident minifter. On this occafion Colonel, afterwards Lord Clive, fhewed that difcernment of men, which marked his character, by felecting Mr. Haflings for this important office. He deported himself in it to the general fatisfaction, until he became a member of the adminiftration in Bengal. In 1765 he returned to England with his friend Mr. Vanfittart, and with a fortune extremely moderate. In 1769 obtained the appointment of fecond in council at Madras, where he remained until February 1772, when he returned to Bengal, the Directors having named him governor of that fettlement. The diftreffes of the Fafl-India Company at that period, arifing from every fpecies of mifinanagement both at home and abroad, are too well known to require Sf 2 our our dwelling upon them. It is fufficient to obferve, that when Government feized the opportunity of intermeddling in their affairs, but one voice was heard refpecting the perfon to whom the fupreme authority over India fhould be invefted, and this was Governor Haftings. In lefs than two years the credit of the Company wore an entire new face, confidence was returning into its former channel, and the expectation of the public was not difappointed in the measures purfued abroad. Unfortunately for the interefts of the British nation in India, the gentlemen who were joined with Mr. Haftings in the adminiftration, Mr. Barwell excepted, carried with them violent prejudices from England, and commenced a deflructive oppofition the moment of their arrival in Calcutta, which continued with fatal and unremitting violence until the death of Colonel Monfon. It is remarkable, that during the courfe of this unhappy contention, in which every measure of his former adminiftration, his character, and his fortune, were attacked, he never loft his temper or his health, but continued to conduct himfeif with fo much prudence, that no advantage could be taken of him by his adverfaries. At length the death of Colonel Monfon and foon after of General Clavering, made a very material alteration in the conduct of the leading men of this country towards him, and he has had the honour of being three times appointed by the Legiflature to the Supreme Government of Bengal. Perhaps the conduct of no man in public life has ever been more ftrictly fcrutinized, more rigidly enquired into, or more freely commented upon; and it may be added, no character has come out more bright after the inquifition upon it. If he has been powerfully attacked, he has been as ably defended, and the warmth of his friends, and the candour of the pub Hic, have at leaft kept pace with the malice and perfeverance of his enemies. Twice have the majority of the. Directors determined to remove him, and twice have the great body of his Conftituents preserved him in his ftation. In 1776 the weight of government was exerted against him, and the influence of his Majefty's minifters perfonally exercifed at the India Houfe to remove him; but a majority of Proprie tors defeated the attempt, and fixed him in Bengal. On May 28, 1782, the Houfe of Commons voted, that it was the duty of the Court of Directors to difplace Mr. Haftings from his government. This happened during what is called the Rockingham adminiftration: but it is remarkable, that Mr. Fox, the Lord Advocate, and the other gentlemen, who spoke in fupport of the refolution for Mr. Haftings's removal, acknowledged, that his abilities were of the moft fplendid kind, and his integrity unquestionable. In confequence of this vote the Court of Directors again took into confideration the ftate of their affairs, and on the 22d of October determined, by a majority of 13 to 10, that Mr. Haflings fhould be recalled. The propriety of this measure was moft ably and fully difcuffed by the Proprietors on the 24th and 31ft of the fame month, when it was determined by ballot that Mr. Haflings fhould remain in his flation: the numbers for his conti nuance being 428 against it 75. In confequence of this refolution, the next day the vote of recal was refcinded by the Court of Directors. At a time when obloquy and difgrace too often, and we fear too juftly, attend the name of an Eaft Indian, it is no fmail praife for any perfon of that denomination to be fpoken of in terms of approbation, and ftill more fo, when the voice of feandal and detraction are drowned in the praifes beftowed on any individual. Mr. Haftings, whofe caule has attracted so much of the public notice, is now in the 52d year of his age; he has been thirtytwo years, with a fhort interval, in the fervice of the Eaft-India Company, and almoft eleven years of the time Governor of Bengal. He pofleffes, even by the confeffion of his enemies, very extraor dinary abilities and undoubted integrity. He has alfo all the qualities of a great ftatefman. Were we to delineate his character, we fhould be tempted to make ufe of the words of Commodore Johnston, at the late Court of Proprietors. That gen tleman, fpeaking of the defeat of our army on the Coaft of Coromandel, declared, "Upon information of an event "that was fufficient to damp the fpirits of "the most determined, the foul of Mr. "Haftings feems to have arifen fuperior to the occafion: with an ardour for the "glory of his country, with a zeal for "the profperity of your affairs, with a perfpicuity in the detail, and a fublimity of fentiment in the preamble, he "dictated a minute which will ever do "him the greateft honour, propofing to "fend inflant relief in men and money " and a General to command the forces, "who could restore confidence to the troops; and notwithflanding the incle mency of the feafon, he carried his defign into execution." TU To Mr. Haflings's attention was the Eaft-India Company indebted, for the communication which was established between this country and India by way of Suez. The trade from Bengal to the Red Sea promifed to be highly advantageous, and could never have affected the Company's fales in England. A contrary opinion however prevailed, and English veffels are no longer permitted to navigate to Suez. The communication was open long enough to convey the Company's orders 'for the attack of Pondicherry; an event deemed at that time, and it certainly was fo, of the greatest national importance. Mr. Haflings deputed the ingenious Mr. Geo. Bogle to the court of the Grand Lama in Thibet, who received him with the utmoft kindnefs and hofpitality. A trade very beneficial to Bengal has been opened with that country; European fruits of every kind have been brought from Thibet to Calcutta, and gardening has been carried to an extraordinary degree of perfection within thefe few years. No city in the world has been more improved in a short THE MAN O F ТНЕ fpace of time than Calcutta. Mr. Haflings, amongst more important objects, is both an admirer and an encourager of the fine arts, and excels as an engineer and an archite&t. He is liberal and polite to his dependents; the gentlemen of his family are his friends, and he lives with them upon the most eafy and confidential terms. He is humane to all over whom he governs; and however the fact may have been difputed in this country, it is an undoubted truth, that no man in India ever enjoyed the confidence of the native princes in a higher degree than Mr. Haftings; and he has challenged his greatest enemies to point out a fingle inftance in which he has forfeited the national faith. He is regular and temperate in his living, and ufes what even in this country would be called violent exercife on horfeback. He always rifes by break of day, and dispatches bufinefs with uncommon quicknefs. To fum up his character in a few words, he poffeffes ability, integrity, courage, and moderation; a clear head and a found heart. TOWN. No. VI, By another Hand. drew me from the gloom of reflection Clarinda's melancholy was hurrying me into. IN compliance with my friend Clarinda's request, I waited on her this morning, to have the melancholy pleasure of accompanying her to STERNE'S GRAVE *. The morning was remarkably pleasantAs we paffed by Hyde-park, harmony refounded from every bough, and the children of Fortune were inhaling the balmy breath of health and excreife. As Clarinda put her arm in mine, I found the did it with a folemnity she was a ftranger to in all the little excurfions we have been partners in. I do not know what it was that drew my attention afide from the purpofe of our walk: but I was fo far forgetful, that I looked under Clarinda's bonnet for an explanation. I was happy in having done fo-for I never beheld weeping fenfibility take fanctuary in fuch eyes before. But this refpite was of fhort duration. We had not walked ten paces in the cemetery, when I found the venerable monk, with Yorick's box in his hand, befide me and Maria linked in the arm of Clarinda. They were the lovelieft companions we could meet with, and I was determined not to lofe fight of them till our visit was over. "And this is the hallowed mount!" fays Clarinda-the monk, at that inftant, fat down at the head of the grave-and Maria at the foot. Clarinda refted her arm on a corner of the grave-flone and after a pause of a few minutes, in which forrow received the tribute of her affection in tearful urn, fhe thus expreffed her veneration, with a pencil, on the ftone. At that inflant my attention was drawn to a prinfeller's window-I faw + La Fleure mounted on his bidet, taking leave of the group around him at Montriul-the gay-hearted fellow's parting fmiles to his fweethearts- his fervent benediction, "Dieu vous accompagne! Dieu vous accompagne! e!" founded in my ears fo of ten, while I gazed on the print, that it In a cemetery in St. George's Row, the back of Hyde-Park. See Mr. Bunbury's Charming Picture. TO THE MEMORY OF GENIUS. Thou mild divinity that warms the breast, And points-where Yorick's honor'd relics reft Whofe pow'r awakes-around his grafsgreen bier A Shandy's feeling-and Le Fevre's tear Uncle Toby. Fill with thy energy a Mufe's ftrain, tains A matchlefs flow'r-that bloom'd on Fancy's plains; In Nature's peerless tints his leaves were dreft, Gave fweets to Genius-and adorn'd her breaft. The dews of heav'n within his bofom dwelt, And Pity found 'em free whenc'er fhe felt. If Humour-temper'd with Reflection's lore, If these—and all that Genius must adore, Should give thy memory a Seraph's blifs Thy shrine will ne'er be hallow'd-more than this. one act of military power was fo overftrained this morning, that the feelings of humanity within me were feverely injured. When the foldiers had taken off their fpatter dafhes, which I have obferved is invariably done on this parade, for what purpofe I know not, unless it be to fatisfy the commanding officer, or his fuperintendant, that they have not pledged their fleckings, I was furprized to find the poor men detained, after a night of fatigue, and formed into a line to amufe for half an hour a ridiculous ferjeant major. I waited for near twenty minutes before this imperious fubaltern, with the flourifi ings of his cane, and his authoritative commands, could make the line a fiaight one. To me, nay, to a veteran Chelsea penfioner who flood near me, and whole flaxen head put me in mind of the unfor tunate Anaverdikan, viceroy of Arcot, who fought at the head of his troops in his hundred and feventh year; and who no doubt had been in as many battles as Charles the twelfth, or the Duke of Mark A funeral coming into the church-yard borough. This line, that fet this fellow's difturbed our reveries. I had not till that moment taken no tice that the ground is divided into three parts. In the first ground nothing is to be feen but marble urns and maufoleums. In this ground the eulogiums of flattery are conipicuous; it confequently belongs to the great and opulent. I perceived little difference between the fecond, and the common ground, in the laft of which Sterne is interred, and where his head-tone towers above the reft. I wished for an explanation of this matter; but a minute's reflection levelled the marble magnificence of thofe in the first ground, in a century; while Sterne's fimple thrine (in his common abode) fhall be vifited by Wit and Genius to eternity. With this reflection I walked away, as happy to the full as Addifon when he vifited Virgil's tomb or even Garrick himfelf when he fhed a tear of rapture on the fhrine of Shakespeare. On our return through St. James's Park, we found the guards just relieving. From my earliest years no pleasure, however dazzling, could draw me from a military affemblage. "The fpirit-flirting drum, the ear-piercing fife, the royal bannr," and the evolutions of an army, with me furpafs all other paftime, a good play excepted. In general I am very well pleafed; but brain a madding, was as ftraight as the lit tle adjutant of the first regiment of guards could form it. But as the evil genius that prefides over contrarities would have it, the officer that was fmitten with this flourifhing gentleman's judgment of military difcipline, and whofe voice no doubt placed him at the foot of an enfign, forgot to look at his eyes, which threw every thing into the fanie oblique fituation the worlt fquinter in christendom could poffibly do. The penfioner's eyes were excellent, le obferved the line ftraight, told a number around him his opinion freely. The ferjeant major infifted it was a perfect crefcent-the penfiouer, with much warmth, looked at his eyes—damned 'em moft heartily:-the poor man, with moch indignation at heart, appealed to an ap ple woman that flood near him, if the ever faw any thing fo ftraight in her life? he brought her to the flank, directed her eye along the line; the good woman protefled, with a Vinegar-yard compliment, to the major, fhe faw it as ftraight as the nofe on the grenadier corporal's face. "Zounds!" exclaimed the venerable man, lifting up his eyes with affliction, "I can ftand it no longer: giving the command of a fet of brave fellows to fuch a tyrant, is enough to caufe defertion every hour of the day." The penfioner had juft concluded the exclamation, when fix men were ordered by |