194 PATNA DURING THE MUTINY. 



into scrapes and adroitly getting out of them again, generall)' after 

 years of trouble and anxiety which would have been insupportable 

 to mortals less pachydermatous than himself. His vigorous policy 

 occupied the attention of Parliament more or less for a period of 

 seven years ; Mr. Tayler occupied it more or less for one day, and 

 then short work was made of his vigorous policy at Patna, for an 

 astute orator on the other side, like Sergeant Snubbin, led a 

 majority b)' the nose, and demonstrated to their satisfaction that 

 even if Mr. Tayler had not been guilt}' of treachery and panic ; like 

 iEsop's lambkin, he had been guilty of other crimes and mis- 

 demeanours still more heinous. 



Both Hastings and Tayler acted according to their lights; and 

 I have no doubt that to their latest breath they thought the blows 

 they gave were only what their antagonists deserved. However 

 that may be, they raised enemies amongst men quite as valiant as 

 themselves, and far more powerful, besides forfeiting the "heavenly 

 sympathy " of many thoughtful men ; especially those who, having 

 led easy-going citizen lives, had never been tried as they were. 



When my Portland Place progenitor, who used his spear so deftly 

 at Benares, retired from the service, he ornamented his spoons and 

 forks with what is called " a crest " ; but when he contemplated 

 adding book-plates to his library, he found he wanted a legend to 

 superscribe. Whilst he was in this dilemma, the Marquis Wellesley 

 called, and hearing the cause of trouble, at once suggested a motto, 

 which was adopted with applause, ' 



" Dum spiro, spero / " * 



This motto also was adopted by Mr. Tayler ; and to the hour of 

 his death he thought and talked of nothing but the alleged injustice 

 done him, carrying on at the same time a hopeless war with those 

 who had kept him from honour, by refusing to acknowledge him as 

 the Saviour of Patna during the Indian Mutiny. 



I am told that three historians of the Indian Mutiny — Kaye, 

 Malleson, and Holmes — have devoted a considerable amount of 



_' "Whilst I live, I hope." As "dog Latin" it maybe read, "Dum spiro, spearo !" "I defend my life 

 with my spear." 



