Page:Cassell's Illustrated History of England vol 5.djvu/356

342 as purchasing the names of young writers in the company's service, and, under this sanction, as guilty of extortion towards the natives in the provinces. He says, many a young writer made one thousand five hundred pounds and two thousand pounds a-year by this selling of his name. Hastings, then a subordinate officer, says:—"The evil is not confined to our dependents alone, but is practised all over the country by people assuming the habit of our sepoys, or calling themselves our gomastahs." In going up the country, he says, the very sight of sepoys "caused most of the petty towns and serais to be deserted at our approach, and the shops shut up, from the apprehension of the same treatment from us!"



Such was the state of the country as witnessed by Hastings; such it was when Clive arrived. And Clive, who so forcibly described it to the directors—what did he do? He aggravated it; enriched himself enormously by the very system, and so left it. Such it continued till Mr. Hastings—this Mr. Hastings, who so feelingly wrote his views to the president, Vansittart, came into supreme power; and what did the wise and benevolent Mr. Hastings? He became the Aaron's-rod of gift-takers, the prince of exactors, and the most relentless oppressor of the natives that ever visited India, or, perhaps, any other country! It is in vain for our essayists and historians to endeavour to convert such men as Clive and Hastings into models of moderation and humanity. If they simply would be content to say that they were great and successful men, as far as their talents went, and that this country owes them much for the territory they won, and the power they established in India, every one must admit it. But the less said of the means by which they achieved this the better, for the whole annals of India, as drawn from the archives of Leadenhall-street, and as stamped on the pages of all eminent writers who had lived in the country, is a revolting chronicle of the foulest rapacity, the most unchristian oppressions. We may admit that Clive wonderfully restored order by this short sojourn in India, made some invaluable treaties, and, compared with some who came after him, showed great wisdom and moderation; but his health could no longer endure the climate, and, in January, 1760, after a residence of only nine months, he left again for England, Mr. Verelst, a man of mere ordinary ability, occupying his post till a successor should be sent out. He concluded his farewell speech in council with the words:—"I leave the country in peace; I leave the civil and military departments under discipline