The English functionaries at Fort William had as yet paid little or no attention to the internal government of Bengal.  The only branch of politics about which they much busied themselves was negotiation with the native princes.  The police, the administration of justice, the details of the collection of revenue, were almost entirely neglected.  We may remark that the phraseology of the Company’s servants still bears the traces of this state of things.  To this day they always use the word “political,” as synonymous with “diplomatic.”  We could name a gentleman still living, who was described by the highest authority as an invaluable public servant, eminently fit to be at the head of the internal administration of a whole presidency, but unfortunately quite ignorant of all political business.

The internal government of Bengal the English rulers delegated to a great native minister, who was stationed at Moorshedabad.  All military affairs, and, with the exception of what pertains to mere ceremonial, all foreign affairs, were withdrawn from his control; but the other departments of the administration were entirely confided to him.  His own stipend amounted to near a hundred thousand pounds sterling a year.  The personal allowance of the nabob, amounting to more than three hundred thousand pounds a year, passed through the minister’s hands, and was, to a great extent, at his disposal.  The collection of the revenue, the administration of justice, the maintenance of order, were left to this high functionary; and for the exercise of his immense power he was responsible to none but the British masters of the country.

A situation so important, lucrative, and splendid, was naturally an object of ambition to the ablest and most powerful natives.  Clive had found it difficult to decide between conflicting pretensions.  Two candidates stood out prominently from the crowd, each of them the representative of a race and of a religion.

One of these was Mahommed Reza Khan, a Mussulman of Persian extraction, able, active, religious after the fashion of his people, and highly esteemed by them.  In England he might perhaps have been regarded as a corrupt and greedy politician.  But, tried by the lower standard of Indian morality, he might be considered as a man of integrity and honour.

His competitor was a Hindoo Brahmin whose name has by a terrible and melancholy event, been inseparably associated with that of Warren Hastings, the Maharajah Nuncomar.  This man had played an important part in all the revolutions which, since the time of Surajah Dowlah, had taken place in Bengal.  To the consideration which in that country belongs to high and pure caste, he added the weight which is derived from wealth, talents, and experience.  Of his moral character it is difficult to give a notion to those who are acquainted with human nature only as it appears in our island.  What the Italian is to the Englishman, what the Hindoo is to the Italian, what the Bengalee