New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-03

"A
VIII Three Phstoeravure Portraits and Seven
weight Illustrations and Fac-simies Pr VIII
25i London: Swan, Sonnenschen w. -'"
York Macmillan Co.
The case of Warren Hastings, like that OF his
malicious adversary Sir Philip Francis. is one In
which there Is at the present day double myst-
acation Thus there never has been any reason
able doubt since 1873 the year when John Taylor's
discovery of Junius' was published. as to the
autborshin Of the famous letters. But, as books
arc still published on the subject. the controversy
seems a living one, and people looking BACK over
the history Of the century imagine time wheh
the authorship OF Junius was known only 10 one
man and he was concealed under so many per-
sonalities that he could not be found But there
never was a time when Francis was not piahieu
by those in position to make the closest iiiiei :
ences from known facts. The rest OF the "ori"
,nnIv rroduced it's own mystification by believ-
mo tbat there was ANYTHING to be mystfed about.
IN regard to Hastings II Is plain that he never
was supposed to be guilty OF the charges haue
against him. except by a comparatively sfhaii
minority Of his contemporaries or OF any genera
tion since his time. Yet, thanks to violent es-
say by Macaulay and the savage party leehhs oi
the last century, it is still possible TO argue that
the first Governor-General of India was gisah'ic
wrongdoer. .
There is enough denunciation still eNtan' III
nrjnt and otherwise to destroy him utterly II us
force were admitted by anybody But the FORCE
Of IT never was felt. Hastings never iost any
friends The effort to load MIN Win all 'he
ahusas Of Indian administration fell fat Only
the rhetoric Of Burke and Sheridan was ren'eH"-
hered The resentment of the men who sought to
ruin him was the only obstacle that Kept MIN
ou,,v from public employment Those who con-
xph
ing 90 Macaulay. and they suppose him to nave
Icon tho object of general aversion at one time.
Even the defenders of his fame seem soine
t,mes To deprecate a popular hatred which never
existed.
Tho state of things with reference to both
Hastings and Francis is brought out clearly
nv Sir Charles Lawson. In speaking OF puphc
affairs and of the famous impeachment triai'
he gives almost as large portion of his book TO
ono 90 to the other. So far as actual punish
ment was concerned the two men were trea'eu
very much alike. Hastings was acquitted Out
was excluded by his enemies from pubic ell
nlovment The. same enemies who rejected MIN
found ii impossible to promote FRANCIS WHO
felt that all his labor was vain when ne faileu
IN gain the Governor Generalship. Both dled
disappointed men: but Francis lived to feel
that everybody suspected him as Junius, while
Hastings lived to receive the formal homage OF
both Houses OF Parliament. The story OF
Hastings's private life as told by Sir charles
Lawson Is the best answer that could be MADE
70 doubts about his public career. II ne mad
,e,t on his conscience all the burdens which
others strove to put there. he would not nave
cared for the scenes Of his childhood. But ne
returned to them at once and grained an
aspiration which he felt as child TO purchase
back the estate Of Daylesford. which had be-
longed to his great-grandfather. HIS nrst
years were spent near this place, and the hard-
ships which led to its sale were familiar TO MIN.
Long afterward he recorded the fact that ne
was only seven years old when the resolve was
formed to own the lands of his ancestors II
was there that he spent all the years OF long
life after his retirement from office. lie travelled
little and only went to London once or twice a
year His quiet days were devoted to his home
He enriched It's forests with trees that before
him were unknown in England His house was
furnished in such sort that most of the articles
were a reminder of the Orient Ivory chairs
and sofas from India, paintings. drawings and
Illuminated parchments recalled to their owner
the scenes among which his active life had been
spent. He was rich in prints, miniatures.
enamels and in addition to a good collection Of
European works of art. including numerous
portraits he had a remarkable collection of
Persian drawings. But II he had been dependent
solely on the little fortune which he gathered
during his service in India he would not have
had these things. His trial reduced him to
poverty. and he owed the comfort OF his later
life wholly to the grateful recognition Of his
services by the East India Company.
He entertained at Dylesford as richly as his
means would allow simply in memory Of his Ind
ian He would have people forget
that he had been the first to rule all the English
possessions in India together The persecution
to which he had been rubjected made him all
the more sensitive this point. Besides H.
cared nothing for tn. most salient features Of
binary English country life He was sports
man. and almost the only instance Of his having
shot at any living thing occurred when he
wounded Sir Philip Francis in duel. His house
was decorated with no trophies Of the chase.
and his friends and visitors came TO talk. not to
hunt He was interested in science to an extent
that made him welcome member of the Royal
Society. in politics where he kept the Govern
ment In mind OF the fact that he was not to
blame for his life OF retirement. and above all
in literature.
1t is not easy TO think Of him as a poet. and
yet he composed quantity Of verse that COM
pdres well with that of his contemporaries In
the school Of Pope. He had a liking for Latin
poetry. and this was a little strange for his
school days ended early and abruptly In prepara-
tons for work "writer' or bookkeeper In
India. In short. his whole life was that Of a
quiet man Of culture yaIiel by one startling
episode. That long life If eighty-six years is the
best answer 10 his accusers, and the episode Is