HISTORY OF EUROPE, 
record of judicial precedents, re- 
ports, and decisions: to the his- 
torian it presents, collaterally, a 
wider field of political intrigue 
and military operation than had 
entered, at any former nie 
into the British history: and, 
future antiquaries, many Say 
ing anecdotes relating to persons 
who not only make a figure im 
the present shifting scene, but 
whose names may penetrate into 
times to come. But it is not to 
future antiquaries only that the 
pieces here collected, not neces- 
sarily though naturally connetted 
with the trial, will appear inte- 
resting—the greater part of them, 
we doubt not, will please general 
readers of the present times 
_ «* This trial derives still higher 
consequence from its connexion 
and influence in our political sys. 
tem. It has served, in its com. 
mencement, progress, and termi- 
nation, to define the political situa. 
tion of this country with respect 
to India; to give greater preci- 
sion to her maxims both of po- 
licy and jurisprudence in that 
country ; to ascertain the line of 
conduct that may be pursued, on 
various emergencies, by the civil 
and military officers of the com- 
pany and the crown; and, on the 
whole, in various ways to cons0- 
lidate the British empire in Hin- 
dostan, 
“ Thus far it is particularly i in- 
teresting to every subject of Bri- 
tain; but especially to all who 
shave any share in the Brirish go. 
-vernment. But it is not either 
asa gratification of curiosity, a 
‘direGtory to lawyers, a source of 
‘information to historians, and of 
Instruction to politicians and the 
{207 
executive government .in all ‘its 
branches, that this trial is chiefly 
interest in possesses an Inte. 
rest of a xind still more noble and 
affecting. In a moral view, it 
is interesting to all men, and all 
ages, to whom a good man, strug. 
giing with adversity, can’ never 
be an object of indifference—a 
good man, after saving his coun- 
try by the brightest exertions of 
genius as well as pablic virtue, 
attacked by private malignity, com- 
bined with, political intrigue; un- 
usual merit followed by unprece- 
dented persecution and hardships. 
“« Mr, Hastings is a man of gen. 
tle manners, and of an elegant 
mind. « From his earliest years he 
has been devoted to study, and 
to the service of his country. In 
private life he has uniformly dis. 
played universal benevolence to 
all around him, as well as most 
exemplary moderation in the go- 
vernment of his own passions— 
in the public characters in which 
he was successively employed, the 
most impartial justice. His mind, 
aétive and comprehensive at all 
times, rose with an elastic force 
under every pressure; and, conse. 
quently, his talents and. virtues 
shone forth with the greatest splen- 
dor, in times of difficulty and dan. 
ger. In 1778, at a crisis preg 
nant with danger and full of 
alarm, he pursued those measures 
which the impending calamities 
required. In another hemisphere, 
and among nations governed by 
other religions, customs and laws, 
he maintained the British domi. 
nion in India, by means exactly 
of the same kind with those that 
acquired them, and by which alone 
it was possible to maintain them. 
It 
ner 
