declared the sitting at an end, and left the room, followed by Barwell.  The other members kept their seats, voted themselves a council, put Clavering in the chair, and ordered Nuncomar to be called in.  Nuncomar not only adhered to the original charges, but, after the fashion of the East, produced a large supplement.  He stated that Hastings had received a great sum for appointing Rajah Goordas treasurer of the Nabob’s household, and for committing the care of his Highness’s person to the Munny Begum.  He put in a letter purporting to bear the seal of the Munny Begum, for the purpose of establishing the truth of his story.  The seal, whether forged, as Hastings affirmed, or genuine, as we are rather inclined to believe, proved nothing.  Nuncomar, as everybody knows who knows India, had only to tell the Munny Begum that such a letter would give pleasure to the majority of the Council, in order to procure her attestation.  The majority, however, voted that the charge was made out; that Hastings had corruptly received between thirty and forty thousand pounds; and that he ought to be compelled to refund.

The general feeling among the English in Bengal was strongly in favour of the Governor-General.  In talents for business, in knowledge of the country, in general courtesy of demeanour, he was decidedly superior to his persecutors.  The servants of the Company were naturally disposed to side with the most distinguished member of their own body against a clerk from the War Office, who, profoundly ignorant of the native language, and of the native character, took on himself to regulate every department of the administration.  Hastings, however, in spite of the general sympathy of his countrymen, was in a most painful situation.  There was still an appeal to higher authority in England.  If that authority took part with his enemies, nothing was left to him but to throw up his office.  He accordingly placed his resignation in the hands of his agent in London, Colonel Macleane.  But Macleane was instructed not to produce the resignation, unless it should be fully ascertained that the feeling at the India House was adverse to the Governor-General.

The triumph of Nuncomar seemed to be complete.  He held a daily levee, to which his countrymen resorted in crowds, and to which on one occasion, the majority of the Council condescended to repair.  His house was an office for the purpose of receiving charges against the Governor-General.  It was said that, partly by threats, and partly by wheedling, the villainous Brahmin had induced many of the wealthiest men of the province to send in complaints.  But he was playing a perilous game.  It was not safe to drive to despair a man of such resources and of such determination as Hastings.  Nuncomar, with all his acuteness, did not understand the nature of the institutions under which he lived.  He saw that he had with him the majority of the body which made treaties, gave places, raised taxes.  The separation between